One year after his life-changing surgery in America, little Jackson Waddell is living up to his doctor’s ‘promising prediction’.
The eight-year-old Irvine lad has taken ten independent steps and continues to work hard in post-op therapy sessions.
Jackson, who has cerebral palsy, hits the gym with his personal trainer three times a week, plays frame football and has even taken up horse riding.
Jackson’s mum Jacqueline said: “It’s been a really busy year with therapy. We started this journey with one end goal, to give Jackson his independence.
“I dropped him off at school only last week and I watched him from the car run about with his pals. He’s doing really well.”
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The Irvine community rallied around the family and raised over £70,000 to help make Jackson’s dreams of walking a reality.
The Waddell family travelled to St Louis in the US for Jackson’s Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR), an operation that involves cutting nerves in the spinal cord helping to alleviate any tightness.
The brave boy also had muscle-lengthening surgery while in America.
Jacqueline is so proud of how far her wee superstar has come. She said: “Up until now he’s been able to take ten independent steps. He can now get about confidently indoors with his crutches and even practises with only one. Jackson’s balance is also coming on really well since his operation.”
Jackson, now in primary four, is even doing better in class since the surgery.
Said Jacqueline: “We were told the surgery could also improve his speech and more people can understand him better now.
“Since the surgery, Jackson is able to concentrate more in class as his muscles aren’t as tight and he can sit comfortably in his
chair now.”
The family used some of the funds raised by the community to travel to Perth for an intense three-week physiotherapy treatment for Jackson.
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Jacqueline plans to take a trip to Lanzarote later this year for hydro and land therapy for her son — it is hoped by the end of the trip he will
be able to swim independently.
The Waddell family have set a new goal for 2020, to visit Slovakia for Jackson to take part in a new form of speech therapy.
Jacqueline explains: “Jackson’s speech is the next thing we want to focus on. There is a medical centre in Slovakia which offers Hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which is a modern chamber said to increase the effects of speech therapy.
“I’m very proud of Jackson. He’s so brave and just takes everything in his stride”.
