US operation to help Tipperary girl (2) walk independently postponed due to Covid-19 pandemic

A life-changing operation a two year-old South Tipperary girl was due to undergo in the US later this month to enable her walk independently has been postponed because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Griffin family from Rathdrum, Fethard have received the disappointing news that the Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy surgery their daughter Heidi was to have at St Louis Children's Hospital in Missouri on April 30 has been delayed while American health authorities battle to stem the coronavirus outbreak sweeping the country. The US now has the highest number of coronavirus cases in the world.
Heidi, who is youngest daughter of Pamela and Tom Griffin, has a form of Cerebral Palsy called Spastic Diplegia, which effects her legs and means she can't stand correctly or walk unaided.
The operation, which will be carried out by the renowned neurosurgeon Dr TS Park, will give Heidi the chance to stand and walk independently. The Griffin family ran a very successful intensive fundraising campaign between late January and early March to raise the €60,000 required to fund the operation.
Heidi's mother Pamela said they had been all ready to go for April 30 but all surgery scheduled at the hospital between March 23 and June 1 has been postponed. 
She said it was unfortunate and disappointing the operation has been postponed and they were now waiting for St Louis Children's Hospital to come back to them with a new date for the operation.
Once elective surgery resumes at the hospital, the Griffin family have been assured that Heidi's operation will be among the first rescheduled.
“The hospital is going to review the situation in the first week of May and to be fair they are in constant contact with us.
“My understanding is that while they are not giving any operation dates for further applicants, the people whose surgery was cancelled within this period (March 23 to June 1) will be rescheduled first. Unfortunately those scheduled to undergo operations during the summer months will be pushed back further.”
The fact the Griffin family has already paid the hospital the €60,000 operation fee also strengthens their case for an early rescheduled operation date once the coronavirus pandemic recedes in the US. The fee had to be paid 45 days before the operation.
Before the hospital decided to postpone all scheduled operations until June 1, the family had considered whether they should travel to the US earlier than originally planned because of the looming prospect of the US imposing a travel ban. The US travel ban due to the coronavirus pandemic was extended to Ireland on St Patrick's Day.
Pamela said they had decided to stay at home and are glad they did so now because they could have ended up stuck in the US with the operation delayed.
A big burden lifted from the family's shoulders is that they have successfully raised the €60,000 fee for the SDR operation thanks to the Heidi's Happy Feet fundraising campaign they launched on January 20 after making the decision to accept the April 30 operation slot St Louis Children's Hospital offered them when a cancellation arose.
The family set up the Heidi's Happy Feed GoFund Me page, which raised €35,000 in donations. An auction of a large array of items at Harney's Final Furlong Bar in Clerihan on February 29 raised €16,000. Framed prints from the Oscar nominated Cartoon Saloon animation studio, a signed Liverpool FC jersey, signed Tipperary, Munster and Leinster rugby shirts were among the treasures that went under the hammer at the fundraiser. A tractor run in the Clerihan area the following day raised €12,000.
A cake sale in Clerihan, cards night in Monroe and activities games day at Lisronagh National School were among the other local fundraisers that contributed to the cause.
The campaign raised a bit more than the €60,000 target. Pamela said the extra funds will contribute towards the cost of the physiotherapy Heidi will have to undergo after the operation.
Pamela said just one of the fundraising events – a sponsored cycle from the Cillin Hill Mart near Kilkenny city scheduled for March 29 – had to be postponed due to the coronavirus crisis.
She said the response they received to the fundraising campaign from family, friends, neighbours and the public was amazing.
“I want to extend a huge thank you to everyone who supported the fundraising events and donated money to the cause. I want to also thank them for their kind wishes for Heidi.”
When they see Heidi walking independently in the future after her operation, they should feel proud that they helped her to achieve this, Pamela added.