SAULT STE. MARIE — Community members are coming together to support a local child going through a difficult health crisis at a dinner fundraiser on May 2.
Amelia Gordon, the 14-month-old daughter of local nursing assistant Allison Rader, has already undergone one surgery and will have to have more over the course of the next year.
Diagnosed at only a few months old with congenital scoliosis, her family has been working to give her the care that she needs. Due to her condition, Amelia's spine is slipping out of place and bending where it shouldn't be, causing her spinal nerves to be pinched.
"She has one of the most severe cases that they've ever seen, especially at a young age," said Rader. "They've never done this kind of procedure on someone so young and so small."
Earlier this month, Amelia underwent her first surgery to install a halo device on her head. The device uses heavy weights and pins to keep her head aligned and straighten her spine. After a few weeks or months, when her spine is straighter, she will undergo another surgery to fuse her spine together.
In total, Amelia's recovery will see her in a hospital bed for a few weeks. Most of her recovery time will be spent in restrictive braces. This surgery, which was initially planned for later in her life, had to be moved up due to her condition growing worse.
Amelia's mother has taken a leave of absence from work to stay by her daughter's side during the surgery and recovery.
"They wanted to delay the surgery a little longer, but with the way her spinal cord was being pinched they had to do something immediately," said Rader. "So I had a week to get my affairs in order and basically moved my life down here to be by her bedside."
Between leaving work and providing for her 8-year-old son, Rader has received help from friends and other local groups and is now looking to the community for more support.
Rader, who is a lifetime member of the I-500 pageant, has participated in dozens of local fundraisers and other events in the past. This is the first fundraiser she has helped plan for her own family.
The fundraiser for Amelia will be at Cozy Corners restaurant, which is also owned by Amelia's grandmother Sarah Gordon.
The fundraiser will begin at 4 p.m. on May 2 with a $10 entry to the spaghetti dinner.
Even though the event is days away, many community members and organizations have already reached out to help. More than 80 businesses and individuals have donated items to the 50/50 raffle and even more have donated directly to the family on Venmo.
"I appreciate it so much. It's just overwhelming having honest support that the community has given us because of this tough time," said Gordon.
Doctors believe that after her procedures and recovery, Amelia will be able to live a full and normal life.
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— Contact Brendan Wiesner: BWiesner@Sooeveningnews.com
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