By Cecilia Pellizzeri | Communications
Kevin was born with an extremely rare malformation of the lower limbs, a condition that affects about one in a million children and has prevented him from walking normally. His parents immediately began a tireless search for treatment: seven surgeries in Italy that, unfortunately, did not yield the hoped-for results. In some cases, the proposed solutions would have permanently compromised his leg.
The turning point came in the United States, at the Paley Institute in Florida, one of the very few centers in the world specializing in these complex reconstructions. There, Kevin underwent a first, decisive surgery: the application of an external fixator that allowed the femur and fibula to be realigned, finally offering a concrete prospect for recovery.
Since then, the journey has continued unabated.
In 2023, for five months, his mother adjusted that fixator every evening with millimeter precision—one millimeter per day—guiding the limb’s lengthening step by step.
Thanks to our donors, on July 28 Kevin will travel to Florida for his second surgery at the Paley Institute, one of the very few centers in the world specializing in these complex reconstructions. There, he will undergo his second leg-lengthening procedure, and at least two more surgeries will be necessary to complete his growth journey.
Without the help of our donors, this would not have been possible—thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
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