Family hopes soccer mad boy will walk again

THE family of a little Southside boy, who suffers from
cerebral palsy and is wheelchair bound, say they hope new groundbreaking
surgery in the US will enable him to play football before the end of the year.

Michael Tiron (11), from Bray, was diagnosed with
cerebral palsy at the age of one. He has been in a wheelchair since he was just
three years of age.

Last December, Michael received the best Christmas
present he could ever have hoped for when he was accepted for a life-changing
operation at St Louis’ Children’s Hospital in Missouri, which will help him to
walk.

However, his parents Natalie and Marcel face a race
against time to raise the

?¬60,000 needed to cover the cost of the operation and
post-operation physiotherapy.

With the operation set for this August, Natalie and
Marcel have launched the

‘Michael’s Hope For Independence’ campaign together
with his school at St Cronan’s in Bray.

The campaign is asking people for help to raise the
funds needed for this life-changing opportunity.

Natalie, who is originally from Russia, explained how
her son loves football and is determined to play the sport despite his
debilitating condition.

“Michael wasn’t talking until he was three,

? she said.

“His speech is still not 100 per cent. But he speaks and understands both
Russian and English.

“His lower limbs are the most affected. The doctors
are hoping that he will be able to get up on his feet and start walking. That
would be amazing. He plays football now in his wheelchair but if he is able to
get up on his feet of course he will be able to do more, and that is the
target.

“He loves
Chelsea and he never misses a match on TV,

? she added.

“We haven’t gone to see
a live football match in England yet but we are saving up for that when he is
up on his feet and can enjoy it in the proper way.

?

Natalie said the success rate of the SDR (Selective
Dorsal Rhizotomy) operation is extremely positive. She told how she met another
family recently whose son had the surgery two years ago and is now walking
independently.

“The doctors say that 100 per cent of patients who
have undergone this procedure have experienced increased mobility,

? she
continued.

Throughout Michael’s life, his parents have searched
for help everywhere. They have travelled to Latvia, Moldova and even Moscow
with Michael, and he has had four medical procedures performed on him.

Three of these, called

‘Tendons Release’ were carried
out in Russia. The first two were a huge success and resulted in Michael
speaking, crawling and sitting up.

But the third one was a disaster. It slowed his
development process and even took away some of the abilities that he had
gained.

“It basically threw him back in time,

? Natalie stated.

“A similar Botox-style procedure was conducted in Ireland which yielded no
results.

?

There will be a Charity Table Quiz in Brady’s Pub in
Shankill at 8.30pm on Thursday, April 19 to help with the fundraising. Anyone
interested in participating is asked to turn up on the night.

You can donate online, and keep track of the progress
of the campaign along with all the fundraising events on
www.MichaelsHopeForIndependence.com and Michael’s school website
www.stcronans.ie.

Donations can also be transferred to

‘Michael’s Funds’
at the Bray Permanent TSB branch, acc number 20090058, sort code 99-06-23.

Postal donations can be sent to Michael’s Funds, St
Cronan’s School, Vevay Crescent, Vevay Road, Bray.