CARLYLE — Throughout October, Carson Brady from Living Skies Crossfit and Conditioning will perform one burpee for every dollar donated to the SPG4 Cure Fundraiser.
Each day, Brady will total the previous day’s donations – both online and in cash – and tackle the burpee count, determined to make every effort count. To have a contribution added to the daily tally, send an email to [email protected].
Brady is good friends with Richard Laidlaw, who grew up in Carlyle, and is looking to support Richard and his family in this important cause.
In 2017, Richard and Anna Laidlaw, who now live in Ottawa, welcomed their baby boy Jack. It was one of the happiest and most memorable days of their lives. Jack is now seven years old. He is described as kind, funny, smart, empathetic and loving, with a heart of gold. As the oldest of three boys, Jack takes his role seriously, caring for and protecting his little brothers while making them laugh.
Around the age of two, the Laidlaws noticed Jack’s toes pointed inward when he walked. Their family doctor initially reassured them that this was common in young children and would likely improve over time. However, by age three, with no improvement, Jack was referred to pediatric physiotherapy.
After a year with no progress, Jack’s physiotherapist recommended further testing. He was referred to the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, where specialists in neurology and orthopedics began searching for the cause of his symptoms.
In December 2023, genetic testing revealed that Jack has hereditary spastic paraplegia Type 4 (SPG4). While the diagnosis provided an answer, it brought no relief. SPG4 is a rare, progressive disease for which there is currently no cure or treatment to halt its progression. Jack’s condition means that over time, he will gradually lose the ability to walk, and his family was told there was nothing they could do to stop it.
The initial weeks after Jack’s diagnosis were devastating for his family. The Laidlaws found themselves in deep despair, struggling to process this news while caring for their three boys, who were six, four and two at the time. But they refused to give up.
They began researching SPG4, reaching out to every expert they could find. Eventually, a researcher at Boston Children’s Hospital responded with a glimmer of hope: “Yes, I can help you.”
Jack was enrolled in the researcher’s study, which tracks patients with SPG4. While there is currently no treatment or cure, the researcher informed them that a cure for SPG4 is being actively researched. This hope has sustained Richard and Anna ever since.
Though they originally wanted to keep their journey private, they now understand that sharing their story is vital because they need help.
Richard’s connections to Carlyle and southeast Saskatchewan run deep. The support from this community, even through kind supportive words and actions, has meant a lot for his family. People like Brady, who grew up alongside Richard, have stepped up to help. As Richard and his family have a long, uncertain road ahead, knowing that his hometown is behind him offers hope and strength.
SPG4 affects approximately one in every 50,000 people. As a rare genetic disorder, research funding is hard to come by. Jack’s family, along with supporters like Carson Brady, are now fundraising to support this critical research. Together, they are working to bring the research to human clinical trials – a crucial step toward finding a cure.
While this diagnosis is rare, it’s not unique, and the impact of a cure would extend far beyond Jack. A GoFundMe campaign has been set up at Donate to SPG4 Research and Treatment for Jack, and people can e-transfer support to Brady's campaign at [email protected].
A Facebook page has been set up at SPG4 Cure Fundraiser, and people can email the family at : [email protected].
