UPDATE: Maple Ridge boy raises over $48,000 for his kindergarten buddy’s surgery

By Yuliya Talmazan Global News

Posted July 8, 2014 12:54 pm

Updated July 8, 2014 3:36 pm

1 min read

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UPDATE: Through online donations and the sale of lemonade, Quinn and Brayden were able to raise in excess of $58,000 as of July 8.

Seven-year-old Brayden Grozdanich has to go through painful stretching exercises every day of his life.

Brayden has cerebral palsy and the more he grows, the more his muscles tighten up and refuse to cooperate.

He has trouble flattening his feet and has to wear leg braces.

No matter how painful his physiotherapy is, Brayden’s grandmother Alicia Grozdanich says he’d be in a wheelchair if he was not doing the exercises.

“He is brave, happy and always wiling to try. He will have some bad days like any other child. But he is always trying,” she says.

A hospital in New Jersey is offering the procedure called Percs Lengthening that can help release Brayden’s muscles and significantly alleviate his suffering, but it comes with a hefty price tag of $20,000.

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A similar procedure can be done in Canada for free, but it is more invasive and has a longer recuperation time.

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Brayden’s family is looking to raise the full amount to cover the procedure and logistical expenses through a fundraising web site, but his best buddy Quinn Callander is doing his share to help his friend feel better.

Quinn and Brayden have been friends since kindergarten. They both go to Hammond Elementary in Maple Ridge.

One day, while on a play date with Brayden, Quinn witnessed firsthand what his friend has to go through on a daily basis.

“When he saw how much pain Brayden was in and how upset he was, Quinn decided that he wanted to help raise the money for the specialized surgery,” says Quinn’s mother Heather Rooney.