We have successfully completed fundraising to help Anna and are preparing documents to pay for the rehabilitation course. Thanks to Maria Aglushevich, the Ambassador of our foundation, who donated the necessary amount to help little Anya! We also thank Victoria E., Ivan V. and Anna S. for their contribution to a great good deed! Preparing documents for payment.
Anna V., born in 2010, Moscow
Required: rehabilitation course in the center “Rodnik”, RUB 233 900.00.
Diagnosis: cerebral palsy, spastic diplegia.
Expectations after the rehabilitation: the child will be able to stand independently with support, the spasticity in the left hand will decrease and the range of motion with the left hand will increase; ability to turn pelvis and thus turn with the support of the hands; clear speech, the spasticity of the tongue will decrease, which will lead to better swallowing and speech.
From her mother’s letter:
«My daughter’s story is very similar to other stories of children with the same disease. Anya was born at 30 weeks by a c-section. 5 months later I found out that Anya had trauma during the delivery. She didn’t breathe right after she was born, so she spent 3 weeks on a vent and then 1.5 months in a special care nursery. She turned 2 month and was discharged with a whole lot of diagnoses which were partly overcome: she hasn’t had epileptic seizures for 9 years, had a surgery on pelvis joints, she doesn’t have retinopathy – her sight is not good, but she can read 18 font letters and see in general. But some diagnoses have stayed with her, including cerebral palsy, partial atrophy of optical discs, strabismus, brain and spinal cord cysts.
Despite all diagnoses, 5 surgeries (spine, pelvic joints, muscles), Anya’s developmental dynamics are positive, although she cannot walk. She was able to learn a lot, especially over the past 3 years, with the help of medications, exercising at home and with the specialists at “Rodnik” Center, where we occasionally go for rehabilitation from 2012. She began to use the left hand, to type with the left hand as well, she can stand up with support. Since 2019 she has been able to walk holding onto a stroller, walk in a walker, climb the stairs with support. The next stage for us is to give her some independence. It means being able to operate an active wheelchair. She is learning to move the wheels and drive herself, this is difficult for her left hand, but it still provides some independence. The biggest success in her intellectual development is that she goes to 3rd grade, studies English, is independent in sanitary needs (asks to use the toilet). Without the Rodnik center teachers and their continuous work, Anya would not have been able to achieve all this.
I am a single parent and have a very limited budget, we have only pension and child allowance. Meanwhile, we have a long list of required treatments: check-ups for epilepsy every 3-4 months, check-ups after 4 surgeries followed by MRIs, expensive medications. It all costs a lot of money, and there is just not enough money left to pay for rehabilitation courses which we really need.
My girl needs regular comprehensive rehabilitation to develop muscles, work on clearer speech, learn to stand up, develop her left hand. Anya wants to move as much as possible, even during breaks at school she wants to climb the stairs. With school, she became much more active which impacts her body too. I try to exercise with her myself at home, but Anya is a tall girl and it is physically very difficult for me, given that I weigh 50 kg.
There is no one to help me really. Anya’s grandmother is 75 years old and she has some health issues herself, so she cannot help my daughter with anything (although she helps to cook and with homework). In September she had a stroke, and in December she had heart surgery, so I have to take care not only of my daughter but my mother too. I can’t leave Anya on her for more than half an hour.
You might think that if we live in Moscow it means that we have everything. It is sadly not true at all. Despite everything you hear in the news, we receive very poor help from the government. She had only one rehabilitation course paid by the government, and it didn’t do any good. Half of the procedures was even harmful to my daughter (after all surgeries she has been through). So, we chose to drop it off and choose to go to school because there was no time to do both – school and rehabilitation in the state hospital (which is very far).
Because of the pandemic and her grandmother’s health issues, it is hard to give Anya the needed attention and care. Anya needs the rehabilitation course to maintain the skills she already has and acquire new ones. She will need them for school and just to lead her life. After the rehabilitation it will be easier for me and Anya, she will be physically stronger and may not need more surgeries on her pelvis as the pelvic bones and joints with muscles will learn the correct movements and will develop correctly. Rehabilitation will allow her to develop the left hand even better, which help her to type faster, serve herself in everyday life, make her grip stronger. The ability to hold firmly with both hands will allow her to stand longer with support, roll over more confidently, walk with support for longer distances. Clearer speech will help communicate with people and teachers, especially in English which she has been studying.
Firstly, I want to thank you all for your kindness and empathy. Thank you for helping our children and give them a chance to lead a normal life.
I understand what kids with cerebral palsy feel, and that they need help. You have hundreds of requests every day, and all of them are absolutely and completely worthy of help and attention, my girl included. She wants to move and develop, and I believe she will make it. To continue studying at school the only rehabilitation option available for us is the summer rehabilitation at Rodnik Center. »
The Foundation has launched a fundraising campaign for Anna.
In case the funds raised for a particular child exceed the required amount, the balance shall be used to cover treatments for other children and other expenses associated with the present program (Clause 1.6.3 of the “Regulations of the charity program of targeted help “Shag Navstrechu” (Take a Step).