Despite a diagnosis that he’d never walk again after a trampoline accident that resulted in swelling and bleeding on the brain, four-and-a-half year old Max Du Preez took his first steps last month.
“We are so thrilled with Max’s recovery. Week by week we can see our Max returning to us,” said Max’s mom Danni Du Preez.
“He started crawling in mid to late June and in July took his first steps. After that there was no stopping him!”
When Max fell off the family trampoline on April 2, doctors gave him a very bleak prognosis, saying half his brain would likely die and he’d never walk or talk again. But Max’s family never gave up hope he’d beat the odds.
Their hope turned to joy in July when Max started walking again.
“His favourite activity at the moment is to kick a ball, and he is rather good at it. He has a nice strong kick,” Danni said. “His fine motor skills are improving on a weekly basis, and Max can now use both his left and right hand for purposeful movement.”
Max is still unable to speak but he’s learning how to communicate non-verbally and the family is hopeful his speech will return one day.
“We are in awe of Max’s strength and determination to recover,” Danni said. “His days are jam-packed full of therapies: occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech, swimming, music and hyperbaric oxygen therapy – by the end of the day he is totally exhausted, but he keeps smiling, and this is what keeps us motivated and positive that Max will defy his prognosis.”
Danni said the family has been overwhelmed by the support that has been extended to them by the Coast community, which helped raise over $21,000 in an online GoFundMe account and about $15,000 through a trust fund set up for Max at the Bank of Montreal.
The Du Preez family had recently moved to the Coast from South Africa when the accident happened and they weren’t covered by the Medical Services Plan (MSP) so the funds were meant to help with hospital bills and travel to and from Vancouver.
As of June, the family received MSP coverage, but whether their South African travel insurance will cover the hospital bills from April and May is still unclear.
For that reason the family is keeping the trust fund money separate while they use some of the GoFundMe money for Max’s therapy treatments.
“Some of the funds are helping towards the hyperbaric oxygen therapy,” Danni said.
“It costs $330 per session and we are hoping to do a total of 40 sessions before we return home. The balance of the funds we would like to keep for future out of pocket therapy expenses.”
The Du Preez family is currently staying in Vancouver at Ronald McDonald House in the evenings while Max is a day patient at Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children.
He’s expected to be released at the end of the month, when he will return to the Coast and continue his therapies.
Danni wants to thank the community for their generosity, handmade gifts, prayers and support over the past few months.
“The generosity from our community has been out of this world! We feel so blessed and fortunate to call the Sunshine Coast our new home,” she said.
“Once again we would like to say thank you to everyone for their prayers and support. It has meant the world to us.”
