Free Flights Help Boy Overcome Scoliosis Devin was born with Vater Syndrome, a rare condition characterized by multiple birth defects. He spent the first six months of life at the University of Minnesota, undergoing several surgeries. At age two his spine began to curve but the scoliosis brace he was fitted with had no effect. The family was given three options: to do nothing, which meant Devin's spine would crush his lungs; fuse his spine, which would stunt growth of his chest, or undergo a procedure that would implant titanium ribs in his body. Tammy, his mother, said it took a year to convince the insurance company to approve the surgery, which had not been FDA-sanctioned although the doctor who invented the prosthetic device had successfully implanted more than 100 children. Devin was four by the time the insurance came through, and flew with his mom to San Antonio, Texas, for the first of a series of operations. Then Tammy learned about Children's Angel Flight (CAF) from a family she met in Texas. She and Devin have since received five free round-trip flights on commercial airlines through the CAF program. Devin is now 12 years old, and though he can't participate in contact sports, he can play golf, games, and ride a small snowmobile. Tammy wrote to say that Children's Angel Flight has been a godsend. "You just cannot imagine how this helps us out financially. I have been spreading the word…about this organization."
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