First steps for Maksymchyk. 4

Halyna Melnyk is a mother whose son Maksym suffers from cerebral palsy, which prevents her boy from fully developing alongside his peers. Maksym cannot enjoy warm spring days at school or favorite children's entertainment during the summer holidays because he is just learning to walk after a tendon-cutting surgery on his legs. Maksym managed to take his first steps only at the age of 10. The boy’s condition is not just a diagnosis for him – it is a challenge and hard work which the ten-year-old boy faces every single day.

During consultations with a neurologist and an orthopedist, it was decided that the tendon-cutting surgery has to be performed so that in future Maksym would be able to get on his feet. His family raised the necessary sum of money on their own and the surgery was conducted successfully. Yet, the result has to be fixed with postsurgical rehabilitation treatment courses. The family critically lacks money for the treatment: due to the boy's condition Halyna has to be with her son all the time, so she is not able to work.

Thanks to Ukrainian Philanthropic Marketplace and support of kind people the family received UAH 12,500 for the first treatment course (to view previous projects). Halyna and Maksym are extremely grateful to everybody who helped them raise these funds.

“In June 2016 Maksym took his first long awaited steps. He took 12 steps!I was filled with emotions… I was crying and I could barely speak…” says Ms. Melnyk. The efforts of doctors, the boy’s mother and Maxym himself did not go in vain: now the boy is trying to walk independently and he makes big progress. His long-nurtured dream – riding a bike – is slowly coming true: every evening Maxym gets on his bike and takes a little ride.

In order to fully recover the boy needed to undergo further treatment. Unfortunately, the lack of money caused a forced seven-month-long pause in the boy’s rehabilitation. Only in February 2017, the family managed to raise funds for one treatment course at the medical center "Alis-Melifika" in Khmelnytskyi. Yet, one course is not enough after such a long break. Maxym is growing and it becomes harder and harder for him to coordinate his movements, which is why he must constantly undergo rehabilitation treatment to achieve success sought by the family and the boy himself.

Maxym and his mother are very proud of the progress they have reached in their fight against the disease, but they do not want to stop there. They are willing to continue fighting until the boy fully recuperates. To ensure the positive dynamics of recovery Maxym has to undergo another rehabilitation course, which requires UAH 7500.

Maxym believes in himself and asks you to believe in him too and support him financially on his way to full recovery. The first steps to success have already been made, so help Maxym move forward and give the chance to walk unaidedly.

Name: Hvozd Maksym, 25.11.2006 

City: Slavuta, Khmelnytskyi region

Diagnosis: cerebral palsy, spastic paraparesis