Harrison was born in October 2018 with bilateral clubfoot, a congenital condition in which both feet are twisted out of shape or position. According to the Mayo Clinic, clubfoot occurs when the tendons that connect the muscles to the bones are shorter than usual, causing the foot to turn inward and downward. Without treatment, it can lead to permanent disability.
Harrison’s treatment began shortly after birth at UNC Chapel Hill in North Carolina. For 11 months, he underwent multiple castings and two surgeries, but his feet continued to relapse. The results were disheartening, and progress remained out of reach until a breakthrough came just one day before Harrison’s first birthday.
In October 2019, renowned pediatric orthopedic surgeon Dr. Matthew Dobbs accepted Harrison as a patient. At the time, Dr. Dobbs was practicing at Washington University’s St. Louis Children’s Hospital in Missouri. For four consecutive weeks, Harrison and his family flew to St. Louis for weekly serial casting, followed by placement in boots and bar, a standard bracing treatment used to maintain correction after casting.
But the road to healing was not yet complete. In March 2020, Harrison’s family noticed troubling signs. His feet began to relapse again, and by summer, he was falling more frequently, struggling to walk, and showing signs of discomfort. During this time, his mother also noticed an abnormal curvature in his spine.
Dr. Dobbs recommended imaging, and the results confirmed a diagnosis of idiopathic scoliosis, a condition defined by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons as a sideways curvature of the spine with no known cause. Though the diagnosis was daunting, the family felt a sense of relief knowing there were no underlying neurological concerns.
Determined to continue treatment with Dr. Dobbs, who had since relocated to The Paley Orthopedic and Spine Institute in West Palm Beach, Florida, the family resumed their journey. In September 2020, Harrison began serial casting once again. After the third casting, he underwent another surgery. This time, the results were transformative.
By November 2020, following the removal of his post-operative casts, Harrison was fitted with ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) during the day and returned to boots and bar at night. The progress has been nothing short of extraordinary. Not only is Harrison walking with confidence, he is running for the first time in his life. His scoliosis will continue to be monitored closely, and future casting or bracing may be necessary, but for now, Harrison is thriving.
The journey to healing would not have been possible without Miracle Flights.
The family first connected with Miracle Flights in September 2020, just as Harrison began his new phase of treatment. With both parents facing reduced hours due to the pandemic — his mother a pediatric nurse and his father in HVAC-R — the cost of frequent long-distance travel became overwhelming. Miracle Flights stepped in at one of the most vulnerable times in their lives.
“Miracle Flights has gone above and beyond for our family,” Harrison’s mom shares. “From arranging flights that worked around our schedules to helping us with ground transportation, they’ve been a lifeline. We’re deeply grateful for their support and for the hope they’ve given our son.”
