Roger Morrissey “Back” To Life

In 2010, at the age of 34, Roger Morrissey was diagnosed with a ruptured disc in his back. After two years of waiting and suffering with chronic and debilitating pain, Roger finally had his first back surgery. Unfortunately, the surgery did not help solve the problem, and the doctors in Newfoundland have indicated that there are no other options available for Roger in the province.

Roger is in more pain today than ever, despite working with a specialist at The Miller Centre and trying various medications – a path that Roger would rather avoid as he never wanted to be reliant on medication in life.  The things many of us take for granted such as sleeping, going out to socialize with friends, or standing for longer than ten minutes are no longer available to Roger – a few hours of sleep here or there is all he can manage anymore because of the pain, even with the medication.

After months of extensive research, Roger and his family have decided that his best option for rehabilitation is to seek medical attention from Dr. Timothy Witham at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. Dr. Witham focuses on complex spinal disorders and has reviewed Roger’s history.  Dr. Witham is confident that he can help Roger get back to a normal life again, while he still has so many years of life to live and so many reasons to not give up.

Unfortunately as a result of his medical condition, Roger has gone from working 10-12 hours a day at Costco Wholesale, where he has worked since 1995, to not being able to work at all. Asking for help isn’t something that comes easy to Roger, or his wife, Kathy – both being more comfortable on the giving side than the receiving. However, this life changing diagnosis has affected every aspect of their lives. Kathy very much misses the man she married who was active, involved, and full of life when he lived pain-free. Roger’s son, Brad, has watched his father - who raised him alone from the age of 17 - become a shell of the strong and independent man he once was. Roger’s friends just want their old buddy back up on his feet again. Seeking assistance outside of Canada is the only viable option at this point.

In addition to setting up this crowd funding site which allows people to donate any amount from anywhere in the world, family and friends are holding a fundraising dance at the Legion in Portugal Cove on Friday October 18th. The money collected from the dance and the prize draws throughout the night will greatly assist Roger in travelling to Baltimore this October for tests at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. This will be the first of many trips to Baltimore as Roger starts the long road to recovery.

Any donation that you can provide to help Roger get back on his feet again is very much appreciated. Our initial goal is to raise $4000.00, but the campaign will stay open beyond that point, and we will continue to raise funds as long as we can.

Thank you all for your love and support.