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Midlands girl paralyzed after spinal surgery
Posted: 08.07.2008 at 12:29 AM
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Five-year-old Abrigail and her mom Rochelle
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A Midlands 5-year-old needs your help.

WACH FOX News first introduced you to Abrigail Gadson in March. After scoliosis surgery, Abby was left paralyzed from the chest down.

Now, her parents are looking into treatment plans, but paying for them isn't easy. The family has held several fundraisers over the past months; and still they're coming up short. That's why when a local car dealership heard Abby's story, it wanted to help. Abby's parents hope other people in the community will want to do the same.

Just two years ago, 5-year-old Abby wasn't restricted to a chair.

"She used to go outside and run," says her mother Rochelle Gadson.

Gadson says the only problem her daughter had was scoliosis. She says in 2006, doctors recommended having what they called "a routine surgery" to fix little Abby's back, so Gadson left her daughter in the doctor's hands, hoping it would help. She vividly remembers that day saying, "I hugged her and said Abby, mommy loves you. I'll see you in a minute."

A few hours later, Gadson realized Abby was paralyzed from the waist down, "I never thought I would walk in and see my child paralyzed. I didn't even have time to think."

Since the surgery, life for Abby and the Gadson family has drastically changed. She now has a special diet and takes several medications. Abby also has extremely feeble bones, no bowl control and the list goes on. Gadson says doctors tell her Abby's spine has gotten worse, but her lungs can't handle another surgery.

She's looking into non-invasive treatment plans including stem-cell therapy, an option Gadson has prayed long and hard about. "I said, Abby you know God is in control and she said 'yup'."

After holding several fundraisers, with not much turnout, Midlands Honda wanted to help. Gadson says, "They took it on as their own campaign, their own crusade. They say we have to do what we have to do for this child. My hat goes off to Midlands Honda."

Carolina Honda at 901 Buckner Road is holding a car wash and bake sale this Saturday starting from 10:00 to 4:00.

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