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Donavan Halpin has always wanted to play football like other kids his age, but an insidious childhood disease has put his dreams on hold. Today, the 14-year-old’s family is praying and hoping that a recent surgery can help make them true.
Donavan, who lives in Beaufort with his family, suffers from Legg-Calve Perthes disease, which affects about 1 in 1,200 children. The disease occurs when the ball of the thighbone in the hip doesn’t get enough blood, causing the bone to die. The ball of the hip then collapses and becomes flat.
The pain is intense, and has kept Donavan from walking for months at a time. When he is able to walk, it’s with a pronounced limp, because the disease affects his leg’s ability to grow. As a result, one of his legs is shorter than the other, a condition which also affects his knees and spine. “His spine is taking a real beating right now,” said his mother, Meg Holt. “Despite the pain, he handles his disease with such grace.” It hasn’t been an easy time for Donavan and his family. The teen had osteotomy surgery in 2009, a procedure that involved removing a wedge of bone near the joint to cause a shift in weight from the damaged area. But the surgery failed.
Afterward, a local surgeon recommended that Donavan have two screws put into the kneecap of his good leg to stunt its growth and allow the bad leg to catch up. But the Holts opted for a second opinion and turned to Perthes specialist Shawn Standard, MD, of Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, Md. After evaluating Donavan, the doctor said there was no reason to stunt the growth of his healthy leg; it was more important to repair the failed osteotomy because it had caused the femoral head to become large and misshapen, resulting in its inability to glide or rotate correctly. The doctor also said Donavan’s hip and pelvic muscular structure needed to be stabilized.
On April 6, Standard performed the reshaping and restorative surgery. The teen’s leg is now braced and he’ll be immo-bile for three months, which
should give the hip a chance to heal.
Yet through it all, Donavan’s mom says he remains positive. “He’s unreal,” said Meg. “He has no appetite and a lot of pain, but he still asks me every morning how I slept.”
Over the next year, Donavan will undergo constant water and land physical therapy to strengthen him enough to learn to walk again. In about a year, he will have to undergo leg-lengthening surgery.
While much of the surgery in Baltimore was covered by their insurance, Holt says other costs are overwhelming the family. “We have a massive amount of out-of-pocket expenses right now that are scary,” she said. “His aftercare will be the most important thing. He’ll need physical therapy and meds and equipment,” including a wheelchair, walker, crutches and more. Meg said things aren’t easy, but they have hope.
“Donavan is approaching high school this fall and we pray for him to get a new lease on life; that he has the chance of living life as a normal 14-year-old,” she said.
HOW TO HELP
South Carolina Bank & Trust is taking donations in Donavan’s name. Checks can be made out to “A Hip for Donavan” and dropped off at SCBT or mailed to P.O. Box 382, Port Royal, SC, 29935. To help with medical equipment, email
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. For information, visit www.ahipfordonavan.com.
