Keeva's Story (A Heartwarming letter from Keeva's Parents)

Keeva's Story

Firstly my family would like to thank you and your physiotherapy team and the SportsMed Alter –G Treadmill team for helping our daughter keeva on her rehabilitation journey to walk again.

Keeva age 5 is ongoing with her second fight with cancer.

Her first cancer was a Anaplastic Rhabdomyosarcoma of the left upper thigh which was diagnosed in October 2014. This required a combination of chemotherapy- surgery and protonbeam radiotherapy. 

Then unfortunately in November 2016 she was re -diagnosed with a malignant giant cell bone tumour of the left iliac bone. Again she had surgery to her left leg which this time removed her left pelvis and 30% of her hip socket. This was followed by several rounds of chemotherapy.

The doctors were unsure if her remaining hip bone would take the weight of her body and could give no reassurance she would be able to stand or walk again.

Keeva spent 14 weeks in a hip spica plaster cast while her muscles healed.

When the hip spica was removed at the end of March 2017, Keeva bravely took her first new steps. This reassured us her leg could take her full body weight.

She then meet with yourself at great Ormond street hospital and after a few weeks of gentle stretching exercises and assistance using a walking frame she was more mobile but still needed assistance as she would walk approx 20 steps.

You then took her to the gym for an assessment and although holding onto the parallel bars she could move all the muscles in her legs, which gave me great hope she would walk unaided again.

Then next session of physiotherapy we were fortunate to have use of your new equipment the Alter-G anti gravity treadmill. Keeva was delighted to be the first child to use [the space walker] I have attached a short video of her walking and then running in the machine. As they say a picture is worth a thousand words. The joy in her face as she can see her own legs on the TV monitor running again is such a proud moment for me. 

The sessions we had using the anti gravity treadmill gave keeva the confidence and believe to walk unaided again. Her time using the anti gravity tread mill was for me a pivotal moment in her recovery. We feel very fortunate that she was given the opportunity to be able able to use the machine at such a critical time in her rehabilitation.

Although, her on- going cancer treatment has caused a few concerns and logistical problems. We can’t thank you enough for bending the rules and learning new nursing skills to take keeva from her hospital bed to your gym for her 15 minute running session. It was the highlight of her day and kept her motivated to improve her walking and to beat her personal best time.

Two months on now keevas chemotherapy treatment has now been put on hold and her rehabilitation has stepped up. I am glad to inform you she can now cycle 2km and take over 1000 steps unaided, she is getting better and stronger every day. 

Again a million thanks to all the team at Great Ormond Street and Alter-G Treadmill.