The Ryan family from Bridgend are raising money in earnest for intensive physiotherapy needed to help seven year old identical twin Peter Ryan learn to walk after pioneering Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR) surgery in early September in Bristol.  Peter is diagnosed with spastic diplegia, a form of cerebral palsy, and was the sixth child to have SDR in the UK, which previously UK children needed to fly to USA for.

The operation   involved cutting nerves in the spine to reduce the spasticity and release tightness in his leg muscles and combined with intensive physiotherapy Peter has a better chance of increased mobility.  Peter is recovering well and is now embarking on intensive physiotherapy at the Footsteps Centre in Dorchester-on-Thames in Oxfordshire.  Such is the amount of physiotherapy needed for Peter, the family is trying to raise £15,500 to cover the costs over the next few years. As of late October they have raised over £8000 through individual donations and fundraising of friends and family to help him achieve more mobility and independence.

Before the operation Peter was able to walk with a walker in a tip toe position and take a couple of steps with sticks but crawled most of the time around the house.  Since the operation and starting back at Footsteps, Peter has walked backwards for the first time, stood in his supportive ankle-foot orthotics (AFO) for a minute, his walking pattern has completely changed and Peter himself talks about his walking feeling smoother. Pre-operation Peter had to be carried to the car, now he can get there on his own and needs less help than he used to when getting in and out.

Dad Christian Ryan says: “We were very lucky to be able to have the operation in the UK although we did consider whether to do it for a year, but felt if it increased Peter’s mobility in even the smallest way then it would be worth it.

“Now the most important thing for us is to have the very intensive physiotherapy at the Footsteps Centre needed to recover from the operation, build up his strength and move forward.  We have a wonderful window of opportunity to make a real difference post-operatively and the physiotherapy at the Footsteps Centre will play a big part!”

During pregnancy Peter’s mum Lisa had twin to twin transfusion and the boys were born premature. When Peter and William were born there was a big weight difference between the two of them but everything else appeared normal.  When the twins were nine months old, their parents Lisa and Christian noticed that whilst William had started to sit up, Peter wasn’t able to and he was soon diagnosed with spastic diplegia, a form of cerebral palsy.

Peter has now attended nine three-week Footsteps sessions and Dad Christian said that they noticed a change in Peter even after his first session. “We noticed a big difference in his core stability, increased strength, his range and co-ordination of movement in his muscles and in his confidence.  After his second session at Footsteps Peter was able to get himself into sitting cross-legged on the floor, so he was able to be like William and the other children when sitting in school assembly.  Who knows what he will be able to achieve now post-surgery!”

The Footsteps Centre helps children with neurological issues take their first steps using intensive expert physiotherapy. Scores of children are enjoying and benefitting from the three week programmes that comprise both traditional physiotherapy and a piece of equipment known as ‘The Spider’ allowing physiotherapists to implement a full course of exercises in any chosen position and to align the body properly by using a series of elastic ropes, enabling greater mobility and independence.

http://footstepscentre.com / www.petersprogress.co.uk