Requires: rehabilitation course in the center “Rodnik” (Spring), St. Petersburg, worth 249,000 rubles.
Diagnosis: Cerebral palsy, hypoxic ischemic lesion of the central nervous system, mixed hydrocephalus, spastic tetraparesis, symptomatic epilepsy in medically induced remission.
Little Artemiy is an only son of Galina and Denis. The family lives in Saint Petersburg, not far from the Center for Social Rehabilitation. The parents took out a mortgage and bought a flat in this neighbourhood, so that their son could attend sessions not far from home. Father is the only breadwinner in the family as mother takes care of their child and is on welfare.
The boy’s hardships started when he turned one. He caught a rotavirus infection during which he got an intestinal obstruction. When the doctors where figuring out the correct diagnosis, time was lost – Artemiy’s condition got critical which all led to cardiopulmonary arrest. It took the doctors 45 minutes to restart the boy’s heart rate. Following that the child spent 15 days in coma. Over the two years Artemiy had six surgeries.
In the aftermath of the disease the boy lost all motor functions and the doctors’ projections were dismal – almost no chance for survival. However, despite the prognosis Artemiy lives on – he’s survived plenty of surgeries, but he keeps on smiling and learning all the motor skills from scratch. He can now hold his head up, sit without support, say a few words, understand when someone talks to him and keep focus on someone or something much longer.
The family is in strained financial circumstances – they lack the funds to afford rehabilitation courses which are required regularly. The cost of such courses is crushingly expensive as the parents are paying off two current loans taken for Artemiy’s rehabilitation as well as mortgage.
“It’s vital for our son to take continuous rehabilitation courses, – his mom shares, – Each course leads to positive dynamics and brings new successes and development opportunities into Artemiy’s life. Due to the courses his motion coordination improved, he became more active, started pronouncing new sounds and words. We need to continue sessions to reinforce the skills he acquired and learn new ones.
Artemiy still has a long way to go. He is eager to learn to walk, to recover, to run and play with other kids in the yard.”
His parents are hoping for your help and asking you to support fundraising efforts to pay for a rehabilitation course for Artemiy!