Little boy born paralysed given the chance to learn to walk

Evander Conroy is taking each day one step at a time.

At just one day old, his parents – Clare and Roger - were told the heartbreaking news that their little boy had been diagnosed with a neuroblastoma tumour, which had compressed his spine.

Due to the tumour’s size and location it was impossible for doctors to operate.

“We didn’t know about the cancer until he was born,” Clare told Yahoo7.

“When they told me what they’d found it was shocking…. It felt like someone had stabbed me. It had such an impact.”

At just three days old, Evander had started chemotherapy to battle his cancer.

And while the treatment was a success, Clare and Roger were forced to deal with the news that it was unlikely their son would ever walk independently.

“During that time we realised his legs weren’t able to move on their own and he wasn’t able to feel them… although they managed to get rid of the tumor, it had already done it’s damage,” Clare said.

Despite being heartbroken by the news, Clare did everything she could to research the possibilities for her son.

The couple held on to the hope that one day they’d be able to enjoy Evander’s first steps.

“When he was nine months old I approached Dr Andrea Behrman who had some very good success with children with spinal cord injury,” she said.

“I didn’t expect a response but she gave me a call… I met with her and we tried to work out a way to get him into an activity-based (rehabilitation) program”.

When Evander was 15 months old his parents discovered Walk On, an Australian organisation that works to rehabilitate those with spinal cord injury.

“They’ve never worked with children before and I encouraged them to take Evander on… he was still only a baby,” Clare said.

Thanks to her determination and research, Evander was given the opportunity to participate in groundbreaking treatment being tested in the US.

At two-years-old Evander and his family travelled to Louisville, Kentucky to spend time at the Frazier Rehab Institute and was the first child with spinal cord injury to benefit from a specially designed treadmill.

It was during his 12-week stay that he incredibly took his first step.

“It was a step he had taken while he was in a harness… It was such an emotional thing to see,” Clare said.
“Once I saw that we knew we had to keep going”.

Since then Evander has continued with his rehabilitation with the family traveling between Australia and the US over the last three years to continue with the treatment.

The plan is for the institute to monitor his progress until he turns 18.

Now four-years-old, Evander may be on the way to proving the doctors who said he’d never walk, wrong.

Every day he gets close to walking with the help of a frame and his mum hopes eventually she will see him with just crutches.

In August Evander and Clare returned from the US once again.

This time he proved he was at the point where he could confidently take steps with the help of a harness. He also stood confidently with the help of a frame for more than two minutes.

“It’s something we were told would never happen,” Clare said.

“The fact he is taking steps is amazing… He’s getting to the age where he likes the challenge”.

Since Evander was diagnosed his family have started a foundation for children with spinal cord injury – The Evander Conroy Foundation.

Thanks to the kind hearts that have heard his story, the foundation has allowed Evander to trial rehabilitation, which will hopefully lead to other children benefiting from these little-known services in the future.

“Whatever we do with Evander is an example to help other kids with spinal cord injury,” Clare said.

Clare’s sister Kath Hamilton has also been hard at work to help those with spinal cord injury in the future.

Kath’s been hard at work developing at app to monitor the progress of those going through rehabilitation.

The app is currently in prototype stage and is seeking investment to make it a reality.

“She wanted to create a device that could not only help him, but others going through rehabilitation,” Clare said.

And while the family is keen to help to improve the lives of those with spinal cord injuries around the world, Clare had high hopes for Evander in the near future.

“We have pretty high goals but we’ve seen him come so far and the potential of what he is doing,” she said.

For more information on Evander Conroy and spinal cord injury rehabilitation visit http://www.evanderconroyfoundation.org.au.