Meet Alexis. Alexis is a spunky and adorable 6-year-old girl. Her life suddenly changed in 2019 when she was diagnosed with a femur fracture. It was eventually determined that the femur fracture was a result of Gorham-Stout Disease, a rare bone disorder characterized by progressive bone loss (osteolysis) and the rapid reproduction (proliferation) of lymphatic vessels.
Alexis underwent a partial amputation of her left leg to remove the diseased bone in 2020. Her leg was then reconfigured through a surgery called a Rotationplasty. Her Rotationplasty surgery was very specialized and involved removing her entire femur and then reshaping the top of her tibia and rotating it 180 degrees so it could be inserted into her hip socket. Her ankle joint now functions as her new knee joint and she recently traveled to Dallas to receive her prosthesis. Despite her challenges, Alexis continues to thrive with a proliferation of resilience and joy.
In anticipation of her Rotationplasty, Tucker’s House completed modifications to the house of this family to ease their transition home from the hospital. With the help of some of our generous community partners like Brasfield & Gorrie and Hiller, Tucker’s House retrofit her bathroom with a zero-entry shower so that she can safely access the shower whether she is using crutches or a roll-in shower chair. We also poured a concrete pad at the back of the house where the family enters from outside, installed a ramp, and widened doorways in their house to provide safe access for Alexis.
Alexis’ mom, Anna, reports that “Alex’s diagnosis put our family on a path we didn’t expect. There have been years of ups and downs, disappointments, joys, and sorrows. Through it all God has continuously shown His love and care through the people He has placed in our lives and the doors opened and closed. Tucker’s House, along with the many individuals and businesses involved in the organization have been an incredible part of Alex’s story and loved her and our family. Alex has continued to bring joy to those around her as she has smiled and sung through so many hard things.” The family has set up an Instagram page (@alex_fearfullywonderfullymade) if you would like to follow the poignant story of this special family.
Tucker’s House is a 501(c)3 non-profit in Middle Tennesse that serves families who have children with disabilities by making their homes safer and more accessible. We receive no state or federal funding and our ability to perform services for children like Alexis depends on the support of our Middle Tennessee community. Your continued support goes to help children like Alexis and their families have safe and accessible homes.
Graham Honeycutt, Executive Director of Tucker’s House, to learn more or to donate visit www.tuckershouse.org.
