A pool for Braxton (Bubbe)

Times Reporter          

 

Ellis and Elly Van Schurr from Langdon are holding a Zumbathon fundraiser on May 25 to help raise money for the Lockie family and their son Braxton. 

When Tara Lockie, also from Langdon, was approximately 20 weeks pregnant doctors told her something might be wrong with her baby. Tara and her husband Brock knew more than anything that, no matter what, they wanted to have their son, and that they would love him more than anything. Braxton (Bubbe) Lockie was born on May 18, 2013. 

At three months old he started having seizures. Scans showed there are physical differences with his brain. Braxton has Dandy-Walker Syndrome, which is a congenital brain malformation.

The Lockie family is trying to raise over $30,000 to be able to buy a swim spa pool for Braxton. The one they hope to purchase will meet his needs the most, but it also happens to be a little more expensive.

“He does water therapy at the Alberta Children’s Hospital pool. It’s hard for us to get there and there isn’t a whole lot of pool times for kids with his complications. It helps him so much that we just want to have one here,” said Tara.

Since birth Braxton has already been through surgeries to remove cataracts from both his eyes, and to insert a feeding tube. He has also had MRIs and EEGs and X-Rays. At night he needs oxygen. He has tried 10 different anti-convulsant medications and a special diet but still has 20-50 seizures a day, and is blind. 

“All of this has delayed his development. He is still like a newborn in most ways and will be disabled for his few years he is expected to survive,” said Lockie. 

“The big thing that we have found that helps is water therapy. Braxton normally can’t hold his head up or sit on his own, but with the buoyancy of water and with a flotation ring, he can move his body. In water he can exercise his muscles so that he might be able to move on his own eventually.”

When Braxton has one of his seizures it cause a glitch in his brain that can cause him to stop breathing, and since breathing can be an issue with the Dandy-Walker Syndrome there is a high chance that during the night Braxton could pass away. Often children with Dandy-Walker don’t live past the teenage years.  

When Tara and Brock were at the Alberta Children’s Hospital with Braxton over Christmas for six weeks the staff told them to pick the things that were most important to them for Braxton over the next few years, and to focus on those.  

“So we said we want him to be comfortable, which for us meant for him to be home again,” said Lockie.

“We wanted him to be able to swim, that was one of the things we expressed to the hospital staff and to each other because that is what gives him the most joy. We want to give him the most joy and ability to move. Comfort, smiles and swimming are the things that are going to be our priorities for the next couple of years. 

“Braxton is such a gift to us and we just want the best for him. We’re just extremely grateful for whatever help comes our way and thankful for the help we have seen and the community that has come to help us.”

The Zumbathon will be taking place on May 25 in Calgary from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Scandinavian Centre, 739 20 Ave NW. Advanced registration is $20 and $25 at the door. Braxton would like everyone to wear something green since it’s his favorite color. For more Information and registration got to http://zumbaforbraxton.weebly.com/. 

Tara Lockie also has a blog where people can find out how Braxton is doing, www.braxtonlockie.com. Anyone interested can also donate through the site.