Meet Porsha, she’s 13, an elite cheerleader, and needs hip surgery
AN ELITE cheerleader has been forced to get around on crutches for the past two months after suffering a debilitating rare osteo condition.
Porsha Lee, 13, was tentatively diagnosed with ‘osteochondritis dissecans’ a few months ago after complaining of pain in her hip two days after Christmas.
Porsha’s mum, Lisa Cordano, said she went to a number of doctors before the condition could be diagnosed and before a surgeon was willing to commit to surgery because it was so unusual.
“Doctors kept saying she was unlucky,” Ms Cordano said. “But it’s often sport related, because she’s so active and because of repeated pressure on her hip ... but they can’t be sure.”
Ms Cordano said she was told the condition was not yet fully understood.
An orthopedic surgeon, who declined to be named, said the condition could be described as cartilage being lost between joints.
It could be due to loss of blood supply where it dies and “slumps off” and could produce trauma or injury.
The surgeon said osteochondritis dissecans was relatively uncommon and most often seen in the knee or elbow. The condition in the hip could be described as “exceedingly rare” and has hardly been described in medical literature, he said.
Ms Cordano said she had been told only 14 people in the world have reported the condition in their hip – with Porsha’s being the only such case in Australia.
She said before Porsha received her diagnosis, she was training for her cheerleading up to five times a week.
“Her whole world’s upside down. But she’s coping better than me, I’m nervous about the surgery.”
Ms Cordano said Porsha had been to world championships and had represented Australia in her cheerleading.
She said it was heartbreaking to know what her daughter was going through and that she would soon face surgery.
To ensure her hip didn’t deteriorate, Porsha has been
HER WHOLE WORLD’S UPSIDE DOWN. BUT SHE’S COPING BETTER THAN ME. MUM LISA CORDANO
using crutches and is unable to bear weight on her hip.
“She still goes to school, but she can’t do sport,” Ms Cordano said.
“She has to use (the crutches) to go to the toilet, around the house, the bedroom (until) we find someone to treat her.”
Ms Cordano said it could take years to get through the public health system, but surgery would cost around $30,000 at a private hospital.
She said she would be looking to sell some of their personal belongings to raise the funds necessary to pay for Porsha’s treatment.
“She’s going to end up with a hip replacement if the condition isn’t fixed as soon as possible,” she said.