I Am Worth It: Valor's Surgery

Valor is special. So incredibly special. His smile, his sweet spirit, and the way he explodes with giggles when he's on the trampoline set him apart from the crowd. We love him for all of who he is, but not all of the things that make him different are fun. Valor was born with cerebral palsy, scoliosis, and a seizure disorder. His scoliosis was so severe that it not only caused him extreme discomfort, but also impacted his ability to move freely and even his breathing. Our hearts broke as we saw the unnatural curve of his spine impacting his ability to sit up in his wheel chair. His pain and discomfort increased until doctors informed us that there was an ever-increasing pressure on his lungs and heart. Although our staff was advised to wait until after Valor went through puberty to correct his spine, we knew that the time to intervene was now.

In January, Colleen (Valor's house parent) began the process of advocating for his surgery. She didn't realize how difficult it would be to allow Valor to have the surgery he needed. Some doctors questioned whether it was "worth it" to correct Valor's spine since he is not a "normal child." It was disheartening to say the least, but we advocated hard for him and insisted that he deserves to be able to live his life sitting up in a wheelchair without pain, not lying down in a bed day in and day out. After being met with much negativity, Colleen finally found a doctor who agreed that Valor was a good candidate for surgery. But Valor needed to gain some weight before the anethesiologist would get on board. Plus we had to raise the $13,000 to pay for it all!

After the money was raised and Valor put on a few extra pounds, Colleen took him back to the anesthesiologist, who reluctantly agreed to the surgery. He questioned why we would even get such a surgery done on a child with “such severe special needs” as Valor would not ever walk or talk or amount to much. The answer to his question is simple: because Valor is worth it.

At SCH, we believe that every child, regardless of their special need, is worth every effort to make their life count. This lack of understanding is not knew to us. We have been fighting and declaring our children's value since we took in our first 10 children in January 2008. Valor's surgery was just another reminder of how far we have to go in the fight for equality. However, it was also another opportunity to educate individuals about the value of our children. No matter if we are fighting to advance our children in schools, including them in social events, or advocating for quality medical care, SCH is dedicated to raising the standard of treatment these children receive.

We thank you, our donors, our monthly sponsors, our advocates, for fighting alongside us in they quest for equality. We thank you for helping us fight for Valor. We thank you for acknowledging his value. We thank you for providing for his surgery. We thank you for declaring that Valor's life is worth it.

If Valor's story has impacted you in anyway and you would like to help him on a monthly basis, we are still looking for individuals to partner with us in sponsorship. If you are interested in sponsoring Valor, please fill out this inquiry to receive more information about this awesome kid and how you can help.