Luka Doncic has followed Dirk Nowitzki’s example as more than the Mavericks’ franchise cornerstone.
Doncic hosted a holiday party at Scottish Rite for Children through his charity, the Luka Doncic foundation, to provide gifts, games and activities for about 200 pediatric patients in Dallas.
Cowboys players rekindle a holiday tradition, visiting local children’s hospitals.
Meet Preston, a patient who was seen by our team of experts. Learn more about his journey below.BMW Dallas Marathon
Blog written by Preston’s dad, Preston.
Our son Preston lives with a condition known as Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber Syndrome (KTWS). In short, it is a
vascular disorder that can cause vascular malformations and affect skin and bone development. The effects vary dramatically between patients. Preston is affected throughout the entire lower half of his body. He has abnormal vein development (an abnormally large number of veins) throughout his abdomen and legs, which can cause internal bleeding, pain, fatigue, etc. As it relates to Scottish Rite for Children, however, is the abnormal development of his right leg. He was born with a significantly small right leg that also has some joint misalignment in the ankle and knee. This leg length discrepancy caused significant issues with walking or climbing stairs, and it virtually eliminated his ability to run or play like other children.
Our journey to Scottish Rite was not immediate. After diagnosis, our initial concern from our doctors here in Houston were the immediate vascular issues. Once we addressed this, we were referred to an orthopedist locally who was the “best” per our referrals. This doctor did not, however, prove to be the best for us and left us desperate to find someone to help. We tried several locally, but none were equipped to manage his orthopedic needs and grasp his KTWS. One of his vascular team doctors recommended Scottish Rite. Up to that point, we were unfamiliar with the hospital.
After several years of monitoring his legs and getting by with orthotics and knee braces, he underwent an epiphysiodesis surgical procedure to help even out the length of his legs. Dr. Podeszwa and his team performed the surgery in November of 2020. We have seen a significant decrease in the leg discrepancy over the last year and a half. This has allowed him to participate in sports, with baseball being his favorite. While he may not set any records as the fastest on his team or be the most graceful, he can now run the bases on his own without the need of assistance or a pinch runner. This has had a dramatic effect on his self-confidence and our peace of mind. While he will live with KTWS his entire life, the reduction of his limb discrepancy will help him get closer to a typical lifestyle.
Preston and I have discussed, at length, getting further involved with Scottish Rite. We decided this year would be a good time to get involved. I would typically run the NYC Marathon in November or the Houston Marathon in January, but we thought running in Dallas would be a great experience for the whole family and help him give back to Scottish Rite. Preston has been joining me as I train for the marathon – he bikes while I run. While he isn’t ready to run a marathon yet, Preston is excited to serve as one of the Junior Race Directors for the 2022 BMW Dallas Marathon. Our whole family is excited to give back, and we are thankful to have the opportunity to play a small part in helping Scottish Rite continue its ability to help all children.
Since 1997, Scottish Rite for Children has been the primary beneficiary of the BMW Dallas Marathon. This weekend, spectators will line the streets and neighborhoods of Dallas to cheer on participants. Learn more about registering for the BMW Dallas Marathon and how to the support runners.
Learn more about our Center for Excellence in Limb Lengthening
Blog written by Henley’s mom, Lauren.
In January 2022, Henley saw a new pediatrician for her annual well child appointment. At that appointment, she was screened for scoliosis. The pediatrician noticed a curvature in her spine and referred us to a specialist. Unfortunately (or really, fortunately!), the specialist wasn’t taking new patients, and a good friend of ours urged us to visit Scottish Rite for Children.
As a parent, I felt lost, overwhelmed and a little fearful of this new and unknown venture. From the second we stepped in the door at Scottish Rite, we felt like we were at the Ritz-Carlton of hospitals. Everyone was so kind, helpful and accommodating to Henley (and to me, too!). Henley had X-rays and an MRI done, which could be very scary for an 8-year-old, but the staff were incredibly patient and understanding.
Once Henley was diagnosed with scoliosis, she was sent to the Orthotics and Prosthetics department, where she was fitted for a brace. She picked out a pattern for the brace and has been very diligent about wearing it. Henley will continue wearing her brace until she is done growing, so we have many years of care at Scottish Rite in our future! In a time that can be daunting and stressful for families, Scottish Rite has alleviated so much pressure from our family by their kind hearts and helping hands.
Scottish Rite shifted our experience from stressful and daunting to something where we feel confident and supported on our scoliosis journey. When we have appointments, I have nothing to stress about. I know that we will find all the support we need at Scottish Rite with smiling faces. Not only does Henley gets excited to come to her appointments with Dr. Johnson, but also she loves learning about the progress being made from wearing her brace. She loves checking out the fish and getting popcorn, too.
Henley is currently a third grade cheerleader and a Girl Scout Brownie. She is on the UIL Storytelling team and in Junior FFA. In the spring, she’ll play volleyball and join a tumbling class. She adores animals, including her cat Kiki and her labradoodle Tito. In her free time, she loves playing with her little sister Presley and her friends. She also loves reading, drawing and baking!
Cookies & Castles Dallas and Cookies & Castles Frisco have been long-time supporters of Scottish Rite for Children. Both events take place at our campuses in Dallas and Frisco, where friends, families and patients can decorate gingerbread houses while supporting our organization. These events have raised nearly $1 million total for Scottish Rite throughout the years! We’re grateful to the unwavering support of Cookies & Castles, the Dallas Alumnae Chapter of Tri Delta and the North Texas Area Alumnae Chapter of Tri Delta.
Article previously published in Rite Up, 2022 – Issue 3.
What if you could prevent a sports injury before it happens? That is exactly what the experts in the Center for Excellence in Sports Medicine at Scottish Rite for Children aim to achieve. Led by Sophia Ulman, Ph.D., the SAFE (Sports-specific Assessment and Functional Evaluation) program uses 3D motion capture technology — the same technology used to create special effects in movies and video games — to assess injury risk by studying the movements of young athletes.
The goal of the SAFE program is to develop injury prevention tools that will reduce sport-related injuries in young athletes here and beyond, creating a new standard of care. “Current injury prevention methods are falling short, as sports injuries in young athletes are skyrocketing,” Ulman says. “We are the first to use machine learning techniques to assess a young athlete’s risk for injury by considering risk factors such as movement characteristics, demographics, sports participation characteristics, psychological measures, nutrition, and sleep patterns.”
Uninjured athletes are invited to the Scottish Rite’s Movement Science Laboratory, where they are fitted with reflective markers. The markers are used to collect the athlete’s movement patterns to evaluate their mobility, speed, agility, and power in 3D. Participants are asked to jump, squat, run, pivot, and perform sport specific movements like penalty kicks, layups, or back handsprings. “The data is analyzed to learn more about how young athletes move and to determine if certain movement patterns lead to future sports injuries that would require treatment,” Ulman says.
The SAFE program has tested the movements of approximately 340 athletes across sports, such as baseball, basketball, gymnastics, softball, track, and more. “After initial testing, we follow athletes for one year and note if any athlete experiences an injury,” Ulman says. “This data is helping us compare the movements of athletes who remained healthy versus athletes who were subsequently injured to determine what may have led to the injury.”
Researchers at Scottish Rite have already identified findings that might help predict injury risk in young athletes. “We have found that current tools for assessing injuries of the knee may be unreliable in some instances,” Ulman says. “Current methods commonly rely on 2D video to assess injury risk, but our research using 3D modeling is identifying potential risk factors that the 2D assessment cannot.” Through this innovative program, Scottish Rite researchers collaborate with medical professionals and sports medicine experts across the field to advance the treatment of young athletes throughout the country.
The SAFE program is poised to change the way health care professionals assess athletes for injury risk and, best of all, will help keep young athletes in the game.
To learn more about Movement Science, please call 469-515-7160 or email [email protected].