Sky Dive in Memory of Patrick Langley

In Memory of Patrick Langley 1996 - 2015

On the 30th March 2015, the world lost a special person, Patrick Langley. Patrick was known as legend to his family and friends, a young man with a huge presence and personality who was passionate about playing cricket and had a love for Featherstone Rovers RLFC. A 19 year old who was adored by all.

Patrick suffered from a condition know as Scoliosis, a condition where there's an abnormal twist and curvature of the spine.

Patrick had to go for sugery on 30th March in an attempt to straighten his spine. There were a number of risks associated with the surgery, but Patrick didn't let this faze him and often made remarks to his cricket coach like "well at least I'm going to be taller and a better player!"

Unfortunately, the surgery proved to much for Patrick and sadly passed away during surgery, an outcome that shattered his family and friends.

All fundraising is going to be donated to The British Scoliosis Research Foundation (BSRF), the only research charity that exists solely to promote research into the treatment of scoliosis and allied health conditions in the UK.

The BSRF works closely with the Scoliosis Association (UK), the national patient's support organisation and also with the British Scoliosis Society, the organisation for doctors specialising in the treatment of scoliosis. Each year the BSRF funds a great deal of research into scoliosis and periodically holds an international symposium to spread the knowledge gained from research.

What causes scoliosis?

In around eight out of every 10 cases, a cause for scoliosis is not found. This is known as idiopathic scoliosis.A small number of cases are caused by other medical conditions, including:

Cerebral Palsy – a condition associated with brain damagemuscular dystrophy – a genetic condition that causes muscle weakness

Marfan syndrome – a disorder of the connective tissuesRarely, babies can be born with scoliosis, as a result of a problem with the development of the spine in the womb.

In adults, age related changes in the discs and joints of the spine and a reduction in bone density may cause scoliosis. Adults can also experience worsening over time of previously undiagnosed or untreated scoliosis.

Who is affected?

It used to be thought that scoliosis was only a childhood condition, but it’s now increasingly recognised as a condition that affects older adults as well. It can develop at any age, but is most common in children aged 10-15.

In the UK, around three or four in every 1,000 children need treatment for scoliosis.It's more common in females than males.

How scoliosis is treated?

Treatment for scoliosis depends on your age, how severe it is, and whether it’s thought it will worsen with time. In very young children, treatment is not always necessary because the curvature of the spine may improve naturally as they get older.

If treatment is necessary, bracing or casting may be used to attempt to halt the curve’s progression. If the infant or younger child's curve continues to progress despite bracing or casting, an operation may be necessary. This will usually involve inserting metal rods into the back to stabilise the spine, which are lengthened at regular intervals as your child grows.

In older children and adults, it is unlikely that scoliosis will improve with time, and in some it may progressively worsen. The main treatments for older children are:a back brace worn until they stop growing, to prevent the spine from curving furthersurgery to correct the curvature – where the spine is straightened using rods attached to the spine by screws, hooks and/or wiresIn adults, treatment primarily aims to relieve any pain. Non-surgical options, such as painkillers and exercises are often tried first, with correctional surgery seen as a last resort.