Support Matvii on his journey to recovery

Sometimes one night can change an entire life: a severe epileptic seizure, intensive care, coma, and a long struggle to regain lost skills. But Matvii’s story from Dnipro is above all about hope, faith, and parental love.

The baby was born at 37 weeks of pregnancy. Viktoriia had a constant threat of miscarriage, so the arrival of little Matvii became a true miracle. He is the only and long-awaited child in the family.

Up to the age of one, the boy developed like all children. But at 1 year and 3 months, against the background of a viral infection, he had his first very severe epileptic seizure. In an instant, the family’s usual life changed. The struggle for their son’s life began: intensive care, coma…

After the seizure, Matvii stopped walking and speaking; behavioral difficulties appeared, and encephalopathy developed – an organic brain injury. It took a month to restore his walking skills.

The parents did not give up: regular sessions with a special education teacher, ABA therapy, massages, and physical therapy became part of their lives. This brought results – by the age of five, Matvii had almost caught up with his peers in development.

But one night, a severe epileptic seizure occurred. It lasted more than three hours. It was stopped only in intensive care.

Now Matvii constantly has trembling hands, difficulties with coordination and fine motor skills, problems with speech and formulating thoughts, deterioration of memory and attention, anxiety, and mood swings.

Matvii is 8 years old. He studies in the first grade in an inclusive format, can read, write, and count. He loves physical education and sessions with a rehabilitation specialist, regularly works with a special education teacher and a neuropsychologist, and attends sensory integration sessions.

The boy takes anticonvulsant medications, but seizures still return – most often during sleep.

We are launching a fundraiser for a rehabilitation program at the "Ioanniv Center".  These funds will go toward sessions with a physical therapy specialist, a speech therapist, a psychologist, and a course of therapeutic massage. Let’s support Matvii together so that he can continue to move forward!