Local mum gets published

This week, a Media Hub colleague of mine and local mum fulfilled her lifetime ambition of becoming a published author...

Natalie Trice is a freelance writer who lives in Marlow with her two young sons, Eddie and Lucas. Lucas was born in 2009 and was diagnosed with Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip (DDH) just before he was five months old. DDH occurs when the ball and socket of the hip joint do not fit snugly together and whilst it affects between one and three children in every thousand, information and support is shockingly poor leaving parents feeling confused about what happens next. If left untreated, DDH can lead to long-term disability, hip replacements and life-long pain.

To date, Lucas has had a closed reduction, open reduction and femoral osteotomy and spent much of the first two years of his life in casts. He is a happy six-year-old who loves football and Minecraft, but is facing a pelvic osteotomy this November as part of his ongoing treatment for DDH.

Inspired by her son, and with passionate belief that there needs to be more awareness of DDH, Natalie has drawn from their experience and just had her book published, Cast Life – A Parent’s Guide to DDH, which will offer a much-needed, long overdue life line to parents with children suffering from it.

Natalie says: “When a child is diagnosed with any illness, the parents often feel overwhelmed and want know as much about the condition as possible. When Lucas was diagnosed with DDH I was terrified and my initial search for information threw up horrific images and worst-case scenarios that simply compounded my fear."

Cast Life is a comprehensive book that covers everything from easy-to-understand explanations about the condition and the treatments involved to the products available to make life easier for children in casts. It also looks at family life, dealing with emotions, as well including first-person stories and parent comments.

Professor N. M. P. Clarke ChM, DM, FRCS Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, who wrote the foreword for Cast Life, said: “DDH is one of the most common congenital abnormalities and it is remarkable that there is so little information out there. This book is essential reading for the parents of children with the condition, as well as health professionals working with them, and I would love to see it in all clinics around the world.”

Natalie adds: “With Lucas facing more surgery this autumn, I am really pleased to have done something to help others, as I know how hard the waiting and recovery periods are. Cast Life isn’t loaded with medical jargon, but it gives the reader the knowledge and facts they need to get to grips with DDH so they regain a little bit of control and power in what can be a tough situation.”

Congratulations on your book, Natalie...

Cast Life is available on Amazon and Natalie has also set up a charity called Spica Warrior offering information about DDH and 10% of the royalties will be going to this cause. Natalie also blogs about the condition at www.justbecauseilove.co.uk

Cast Life (£9.99, Nell James Publishers)