Story:

The Thompson Royal Purple club is doing what it can to help Brody Mosiondz, a six-year-old Thompson boy who was born with several medical problems.

When Brody was born on June 12, 2003, doctors noticed he did not have any ears and also was suffering from a form of paralysis caused by a nerve not working in his cheek, which resulted in his not being able to smile on the left side of his face.

Vicki Fleming, Honoured Royal Lady with the Thompson Royal Purple #276, says that through the Elks & Royal Purple Fund for Children, a hearing aid was purchased to help Brody hear, which cost about $8,000. He and his mother were also able to attend classes on American Sign Language. When Brody started school, his teacher taught all the children in his classroom to sign so they would be able to communicate with him.

Fleming says that in October of 2009 surgery started to build Brody ears. Doctors in Winnipeg took cartilage from his rib to build his ear and have now completed stage two of three on the first year.

“After the last surgery they received some bad news finding out that a hole cannot be drilled successfully as the channel is solid cartilage and will just grow back,” Fleming says. “Until some new technology comes into play, the work will just be cosmetic and Brody will continue to wear a hearing aid. This also rules out being fitted with a cochlear hearing aid because of the cartilage.”

Brody’s mother, Vanessa, says Brody’s difficulties haven’t slowed him down in the least, and that she’s just thankful to have him in her life.

“When Brody was born I thought that if God didn’t want me to have this baby and didn’t think I was strong enough to look after him with all his problems, he wouldn’t have given him to me,” she says.

Brody’s next trip to Winnipeg is happening on May 3 to finish surgery on his first ear and to start on his second. So far, the Elks & Royal Purple Fund for Children has contributed over $6,000 for Brody’s surgery.