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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, July 18, 2014 | 8 Oakville Shriners pull through for two-year-old Sydney by David Lea Oakville Beaver Staff An Oakville woman is deeply grateful to the Oakville Shrine Club for being so much more than a group that wears tassel hats and rides mini motorbikes in parades. Alison Thielman said it's because of the charitable society that her two-year-old daughter Sydney will live a better and more comfortable life. The girl was born with Ullrich, a rare form of muscular dystrophy, which prevents her from standing or walking. Thielman said Sydney requires a lot of specialized equipment, including a chair to prop her up in a straight position as well as knee and ankle braces, to go through her physiotherapy and other daily activities. These items are expensive and their cost is not fully covered through the healthcare system. "The Assistive Devices Program covers 75 per cent, but all this equipment, of course, costs thousands of dollars. So, you still end up being left with quite a big bill of $1,500 or whatever," said Thielman. "Programs like Easter Seals have covered the difference for a fair amount of her equipment," she added. Sydney ran into trouble recently when her condition caused the development of scolio- From left, Dennis Hladysh, president of the Oakville Shrine Club, Sydney Lynn Thielman, 2, and her mom Alison Thielman. Sydney's family received funding for a back brace required by Sydney from the local service club when all other avenues of assistance had been exhausted. | submitted photo Oxford Learning is... A Smarter Full Day Summer Camps available at Oakville North location. Summer Whether your child needs to catch up or get ahead this summer, Oxford Learning can help! sis, a curving of the girl's spine. a person's breathing and heart or cause pain. If not corrected, severe scoliosis can affect To treat the problem, Sydney required a back brace, the cost of which was not fully covered by the healthcare system and Pre-K to Grade 12 Reading Writing Math Study Skills French SAT/ACT Prep which had a nearly $800 difference that did not qualify for Easter Seals assistance. Thielman was advised to seek assistance from the Oakville Shrine Club. About a month ago, she sent the club president Denis Hladysh an email. He replied almost immediately, asking for more information to present to his group. Within two weeks, the club had provided the necessary funding for Sydney's back brace. "It's been wonderful," said Thielman. "We wanted to definitely thank the Shriners because within two weeks we had her back brace and I know her orthopedic surgeon wanted her to start wearing it as soon as possible. Some other organizations can take months for the application process to go through. This one was just so quick and they were just so concerned and involved. They were just wonderful." Hladysh said the Oakville Shrine Club members were happy to help. "Our local Oakville Shrine Club recently celebrated its 50th anniversary and its members wanted to engage with the community more and give back in some way with our limited club resources," he said. "When the call came to help Sydney Thielman, we were excited that we could help in some small but much-needed way Helping a child is what motivates Shriners. I know the only image many have in the town is that of a bunch of guys who ride around in little motorcycles or go-karts and wear funny hats in a parade. That's the fun side. "We, as an organization, offer free medical care to any child who might benefit from one of our leading-edge pediatric Shriners' Hospitals for Children located throughout North America." Hladysh said Shriners' Hospitals for Children provide orthopedic care for children with congenital deformities and diseases of the neuromusculoskeletal systems, treatment for acute and non-acute burn injuries, spinal cord injury and cleft lip and palate care. He said they also carry out leading-edge research to improve the lives of children. Thielman said she is also thankful to ErinoakKids Centre for Treatment and Development for directing her to the Oakville Shrine Club, stating it is incredibly difficult to navigate the system and find help without someone with experience guiding you. concrete · DRIVEWAYS · FRENCH CURBS · PATIOS · STEPS · WALKWAYS · GARAGE FLOORS All Ages. All Grades. All Subjects. Enrol Today! oxfordlearning.com Oakville South Oakville North Oakville North East 905.849.4027 905.469.1929 905.616.9444 uality At Its Best! Call Fernando ExposEd aggrEgatE (pebble) 905-844-5518 · 1-888-944-5518 www.concretetrimmings.com FREE ESTIMATES