Southcoast Health Pediatric Rehabilitation Makes All the Difference for Lakeville Child and Family

Genevieve McEachern is a one-in-a-million little girl.

“Genny has extraordinary magic,” says her mother Kara, a well-known vocalist who works as the Executive Director for Plymouth Philharmonic Orchestra. “She lights up a room wherever she is.”

But it is more than just a joyous and confident personality that makes this four-year-old Lakeville child special.

She was born with a very rare condition called Tibial Hemimelia, a malformed left tibia that left her with a severe club foot, a duplicate big toe and a missing knee extender mechanism that prevented her from being able to kick or extend her knee. But thanks to the care of surgeons and physical therapists at Southcoast Health Pediatric Rehabilitation, Genny has a bright future.

Tibial Hemimelia occurs in only about four of all births a year in the United States. Kara and her husband, Michael, wrestled with possible treatment options for Genny, who also was born with a single kidney and a heart malformation — conditions that did not require special treatment, but which doctors monitor.

“My husband and I knew she had to live with the decision we made,” says Kara.

When Genny was 10 months old, she had disarticulation surgery, a through-the-knee amputation of her left leg.

“Limb loss is such a major thing,” Kara said. “We took a lot of care in making that decision.” It was a decision which they believed would give their daughter the greatest chance for the fullest and best life. “So far we are happy with that decision.”

A month after the surgery, Genny was fitted with a straight-leg prosthetic — the first of nine prosthetics she has worn — and began physical therapy at Southcoast Health Pediatric Rehabilitation, now located in our new facility on Acushnet Avenue in New Bedford.

“It’s wonderful to be able to access all the care they have there,” Kara says.

Once a week, Genny works for 45 minutes with Riley Brandso, who has been her physical therapist since the beginning and coordinates treatment with therapists at Freetown Elementary School, who work with Genny twice a week to enable her to get around the school.

“Riley is wonderful with the children and pushes her in a way that’s kind,” says Kara. “Things we take for granted as mobile adults, that’s what they work on. Genny has goals she has to meet, like bending her knee, walking up and down stairs, and squatting certain numbers of times. She can really get around now.”

Genny is not shy about discussing her challenges.

“Nothing stops her. She is such a go-getter. She went to a birthday party and asked me to take her prosthetic off so she could go crawling around with the other kids,” Kara says. “When someone is curious about her leg, she’ll go right up to them to explain that she wears a prosthetic because she doesn’t have a left leg. She talks to you like she is an adult. She’s well beyond her years.”

Genny will need a new prosthetic every 4 to 9 months as she grows, due to the rapid changes in her body. Once she reaches adulthood, she will require a new prosthetic about every 3 years. In addition to her regular prosthetic, she will also need a secondary device with a running blade, which is essential for Genny to engage in running activities. The cost of the running blade is estimated to range from $5,000 to $10,000.

Michael and Kara are working with So Every BODY Can Move, a national disability rights organization, to advocate for Massachusetts legislation that would require insurers to cover the cost of activity-specific prostheses and orthoses. These devices are essential for individuals with disabilities to safely participate in physical activity and recreation. Without them, activity can be unsafe or impossible — and using a general-use prosthesis for high-impact activity can lead to damage, increasing long-term costs for insurers.

To support the cause, Kara brought Genny to the State House in Boston to meet with lawmakers and advocate for the legislation. Genny’s older sister, Molly, is also an important part of her support system — a constant source of love, laughter, and encouragement at home.

“Michael and I want our girls to be able to do whatever they want to do,” Kara says. “There aren’t a lot of kids who get to work with pediatric rehab, rather than adult services. We are very fortunate to have these services in our backyard.”

To learn more about Southcoast Health Pediatric Rehabilitation services visit southcoast.org/locations/pediatric-rehab.