Filippa urgently needs our help

Filippa has big bright eyes, golden curls softly frame her cute face. It's plain to see: The 3-year-old girl from Bavaria in southern Germany is her parents’ sunshine. But there's something that overshadows the little familys' life: Filippa was born with a „Proximal Femoral Focal Deficiency (PFFD), a complex birth defect. It caused her left leg to be severely shortened and her hip- and knee joint to be nearly absent. 

 

Throughout the pregnancy doctors overlooked Filippas condition. Her parents, excited to meet their little bundle of joy, were shocked, when they held their newborn daughter for the first time. 

It was the starting point of a desparate search for someone who could help Filippa. It was without success, like so often, when it comes to severe or rare medical conditions.

 

Throughout the years, US orthopedic surgeon Dr. Paley has successfully treated several of our „special kids“ with the same condition. Now he's Filippa's only hope, too: Unlike other doctors, Dr. Paley is able to correct her knee, hip and false position in one go. He can end her suffering and help Filippa walk towards a self-determined future on two equally long legs.

 

It sounds perfect, but there's a catch: The special correction procedure is expensive and Dr. Paley is a foreign doctor, so the health insurance won't cover the costs. Filippas family can’t come up with the amount needed, no matter how hard they try. Filippas father has a safe job as a warehouse clerk. However, his income hardly covers the family's basic living costs. As much as he would love to: He can't help his beloved daughter. 

 

So Filippa has to keep using an orthotic that hurts her with every step she takes and that reminds her of the fact that she's different. Unlike other children, Filippa can’t explore the world playfully. She can't run or romp and feels sad and frustrated every day, she cries a lot. 

 

We want to help Filippa. The whole operation costs around 55.000 Euros. Approximately 35.000 Euros we will manage to collect with the help of other foundations and sponsors. However, we will have to come up with the rest.

 

If, in a first step, we can get 9.000 Euros, we will be able to finance the first major part of Filippa's operation. That’s why we urgently need your support: Every little donation helps to make it happen. We can start guiding Filippa towards a self-determined future on two evenly long legs.