Leadership Development -EQ Training

     Jerdain Henry is a twenty year old young adult who was born in Jamaica, West Indies, who has experienced a life-altering experience. When he was only thirteen years old, he was diagnosed with severe idiopathic scoliosis, a severe curvature of the spine. Unlike young patients born in America, who can rely on insurance, Medicaid or Medicare, Jerdain and his family had no means to pay for the costly surgery to straighten his spine. His family had to live with the agony of not being able to help their child. Jerdain had to live with the physical pain in his back for two years and the social stigma of being different from his peers.

     Jerdain was a very active child before his diagnosis. He played soccer and the drums. In November of 2012, his mother realized Jerdain was having difficulties and complaining of discomfort. She realized that something was wrong with his spine. Once he was diagnosed with severe scoliosis, Jerdain was taken to the Spine Clinic at Cornwall Regional Hospital (CRH) in Montego Bay, Jamaica, where his family learned the extent of his diagnosis and the actual cost of the implants needed for corrective surgery. Sadly, they couldn’t afford the implants for surgery. Jerdain’s family had no health insurance, hence, no way to pay for such an expensive procedure. It was through Dr. Bert Rodney at Cornwall Regional Hospital his family heard about CRH’s partnership with Duncan Tree Foundation and the scoliosis program. Jerdain’s name was added to the surgical waiting list for a donated operation. However, Jerdain had to wait much longer then expected to receive his surgery.

     After the long months of waiting, Jerdain was finally in the next group on the list, unfortunately, an Ebola outbreak occurred in Jamaica and the DTF team had to put a one year pause on their trips. Jerdain had to go through another hard year, waiting for help, as the pain progressed.

      Finally, after an extended wait, the team of doctors arrived in Jamaica. They completed surgery on Jerdain’s group in 2015. Jerdain vividly remembers the day of his surgery. He was not nervous yet very excited. He remembers the people, the sounds, the sights. The last thing he remembers was a doctor telling him he is going to inject something into his hand that would make him feel good. When he woke up, he was in a lot of pain, and the first thing he did was check to make sure everything was working, which he happily concluded, it all was, it was worth the wait.

     Jerdain, the fighter, was the last person to receive the surgery yet the first to be discharged from the hospital, one week later. His whole recovery process after the surgery was rather quick as he had a very positive outlook through it all. After waiting an extra year to get better, he was nothing but motivated to get back on his feet, back on the soccer field and behind the drums. In his own words, Jerdain told us he was never frustrated throughout the physical therapy process. He did everything with a positive outlook as he wanted to go back to being the active person he was before scoliosis.

     Jerdain's doctor told him that he couldn’t go back to lifting heavy things, but he would be able to return to school. Jerdain was able to return to school after a few months of recuperation, and he happily was able to start auto-mechanic class. In December of 2017 Jerdain moved to Florida with his family where they currently reside. Since his surgery in 2015, he was able to make a full recovery and return to doing things he loves. If it weren’t for DTF, Jerdain might still be struggling with un-medicated terminal back pain, deformity and a poor quality of life. His family may or may not have been able to afford the surgery. More than likely not, or they would be struggling to pay back mountains of debt for a costly surgery.

     Please, please, please help other families like Jerdain’s to afford the costly price of spinal surgery so that they too have the chance to have a normal, pain free life.

     Go to https://www.duncantreefoundation.org/donate-now/ to see how your kind donation could help.

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