Unfortunately, there are limits to extra theatre capacity, the spare time of surgical professionals and implant donations.  By performing 144 procedures in the last 9 years, Straight Ahead is operating at full capacity in terms of time and resources.

However, the initiative has so much support, the Straight Ahead team has explored other ways to support the needs of children with orthopaedic conditions.

Working with the management and radiology department of Our Ladies Children’s Hospital Crumlin and the CMRF, Straight Ahead has identified a need for safer radiology and surgical equipment to provide better outcomes to each child in Orthopaedic care.

A massive thank you to those who helped make our EOS scanner a reality!!  The EOS scanner opened on March 30th 2019 in the hospital. We cant not believe another dream of ours came true!

This technology is very valuable in significantly reducing radiation exposure for young people.  During a typical treatment plan, a scoliosis patient may have spine images taken every six months until growth of the deformity progression has stopped.  This could amount to 6-10 major X-ray studies during childhood.

The scanner reduces a patients radiation exposure by a multiple of 5 to 10 times or a reduction of ninety times over a CT (computed tomography) scan of the spine.  It also massively increases image quality and overall efficiency.

Our joint aim was to raise €150,000 of the €400,000 required to purchase the scanner.

Straight Ahead is also facilitating discussion around international best practice in Orthopaedic care.  Straight Ahead has supported visits by international experts in children’s orthopaedics. The team has also facilitated reviews, clinical care discussions and specialist conferencing on some of the most complicated and most common orthopaedic challenges facing our young people.