Dunedin snowboarder Joe McQuillan is aiming high and wants
to train in the United States after recovering from the
degenerative pelvis-wasting Perthes disease.
Dunedin youngster Joe McQuillan admits there were times
in hospital when he was concerned he might never again be able
to walk properly, let alone snowboard.
Five years ago, Joe was diagnosed with Perthes disease, a
degenerative condition of the hip joint, which left him
confined to a wheelchair buggy.
In 2006, he spent two weeks in traction at Dunedin Hospital
as he waited to see if pelvic osteotomy surgery to correct
the deformity in his femur was possible.
Surgeons were unable to operate because Joe's thigh bone was
considered too deformed and, for the next two years, he could
not play any contact sports.
"The head of your femur dies and so it goes all mushy-like,"
Joe said.
He was left with one leg longer than the other and still does
not have full movement in his hip joint.
However, during the past three years, the Balmacewen
Intermediate pupil has recovered and, as he regained his
mobility, he discovered a passion for snowsports.
Joe gets some air at Cardrona Alpine Resort as he trains in
preparation for next week's junior nationals. Photo by
Matthew Haggart.
"I won some ski passes, but I couldn't ski because of
[the Perthes]. I got to use a sit-ski and that was the first
time I ever went on the snow," he said.
A couple of years ago, he and his family returned to the
skifield and this time he was able to try snowboarding.
Now the dreadlocked 11-year-old is in training for next
week's junior nationals at Cardrona Alpine Resort, where he
will compete across all disciplines from slopestyle,
halfpipe, boardercross and big-mountain freeriding.
His mother, Heidi McQuillan, said the family had always
encouraged Joe to be as active as possible, even when he was
prevented from taking part in contact sports.
Perthes-affected people usually recover naturally from the
condition, although they can experience ongoing issues.
"Perthes is one of those unsolved mysteries of medicine. He
eventually grew out of it and now we just carry on with life
like it is not a problem," Ms McQuillan said.
Joe has his sights set on joining an elite snowboarding
training group in the United States this summer.
The pint-sized snowboarder is a member of the Cardrona High
Performance Centre and was carving up the mountain slopes
yesterday, ripping down black diamond runs and jumping rocks.
Joe is fundraising for his trip and has set up a website
www.joedread.co.nz and designed a
series of T-shirts, with the help of his mother.
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