Friends,

Please join us in supporting an organization that has done so much for our family! We are raising money to support specialized training for the physical therapy department at Easteseals DuPage and Fox Valley. Keep reading to learn more about how their work has impacted Evie and so many other children with Scoliosis in our local community! 

Evie was just 7-years-old when we learned that she would have to wear a TLSO brace 20-hours-per-day for the next 8-10 years of her life. Our girl had already persevered through SO much, and Scoliosis was NOT on our radar in any capacity. We were devastated for her. This new diagnosis rattled us in unexpected ways. 

We had come so far as a family; We were finally in a place where Evie was safely eating on her own, relying on her feeding tube for only supplemental nutrition. We were living through a global pandemic and figuring out how to thrive despite our vulnerabilities in this new normal. Scoliosis brought about a whole new host of fears, medical complexities, and the prospect of potentially life-threatening surgeries. Bracing was the only non-surgical treatment option that we were aware of at the time, and it felt absolutely barbaric. 

How do you tell a 7-year-old that she has to wear a full torso brace all day every day for the next 8-10 years of her life? Once again, we turned to Evie’s team at Easterseals for support. Not surprisingly, her physical therapist, Laura, was with us EVERY step of the way. She immediately started researching evidenced-based therapeutic approaches. We learned about a treatment method known as Schroth therapy. It couldn’t replace the need for the brace for Evie, but it could increase our chances of successful bracing outcomes.

We were referred to a clinic in Milwaukee where there were physical therapists who were certified in this researched-based approach. We developed a working plan. We’d travel to Milwaukee monthly for a full day of intensive treatment, and they’d consult with the team at Easterseals so that Laura could support carryover closer to home. We had no idea how we’d work this into our already packed schedule of school, tutoring, and therapy, but we knew we’d make it work somehow. Then we received a call that brought me to a full-on ugly cry. 

We were told that if Evie needed Schroth therapy, her team at Easterseals would develop the expertise to support her at home. Laura made the incredible decision to pursue Schroth certification, a highly intensive multi-course training sequence that required countless hours of coursework and supervised practicum hours. Easterseals funded the training for Laura B. and Laura H. (another fabulous Easterseals PT on their team) to become Schroth certified. Since that time, they’ve started a specialty clinic for children with Scoliosis at Easterseals, and Evie is no longer the only kiddo rocking a TLSO brace at our Villa Park clinic.

In honor of their efforts, this year’s fundraising ask is highly specific -- we want to help Easterseals grow their program so they can expand their reach and continue to provide expert care for children with Scoliosis in our local community. The training is extensive, and the cost is significant, but the results are extraordinary. Schroth therapy can reduce the need for surgery. It can reduce pain, improve postural stability, and increase mobility for children who suffer from Scoliosis. 

For us, the therapy has done this and so much more - most importantly perhaps - it showed us once again how blessed we are to be part of a community that shows up so significantly for our family and for so many others. 

We’d be so grateful for your support! Please help us reach our fundraising goal of $3,800. Join us on December 7th between 2:00-4:00 at Shannon's Irish Pub in Glen Ellyn for a cup of Evie's famous hot chocolate or consider a donation of ANY amount online. 

XO,

The Lechner Family