Continue life for two. 2

Dima is seven and a half. At first glance, he is a usual playful child, full of energy, who likes watching cartoons and going out. But his childhood is special. He has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Parents were unbelievably happy to give birth to the long-awaited twins! The two boys were in a hurry to come into the world at the Kharkiv Perinatal Center and were born three months early. Vladik lived just 39 days… and Dima came into this world with cerebral palsy and microcephaly.

However, despite unfavorable prognosis, rehabilitation efforts of parents for their only son were not in vain – when Dima was two years old, he could hold his head and even started walking. Then a whole set of challenges: congenital heart defect, operation, stroke. As a result – all acquired skills were lost, he could not stand any more neither on his legs nor on all fours.

"In a fight for the most precious – life and health of my child – did I have another choice? I decided to never stop. Dima will be healthy, I have no right to give up” - these words are always in the head of Viktoriia Ovcharenko. I repeated these words as a prayer when I was desperate and grieving. We started from scratch: continuous rehabilitation, massage and remedial gymnastics in centers and at home with specialists.

Today Dimochka is a pupil of the 3rd form at school with an intensive study of foreign languages, and he has completed the program of the 1st and 2nd forms as an external student and has even been awarded the certificates of merit for academic achievements. Dima studies English and Chinese together with his healthy classmates, takes part in academic competitions and has a clear goal – to completely restore his physical health. He is so eager to walk! He is so full of energy – enough for two! “I will study to be a doctor in China to help children from orphan homes, who are diagnosed with cerebral palsy, to feet. I have a mother, she loves me, helps me, takes care of me. But they do not have anyone, they are alone and they have no one to take care of them. I must help them!".

Today after the search for various rehabilitation centers and specialists, we have found "our" specialists of the Andriiash Medical Center. Rehabilitation in this center will bring Dima closer to his goal – to get on to feet. The cost of the monthly rehabilitation course is 26,000 UAH. The boy has to do a lot in his life! He has plans for two, both him and his brother Vladik. And we are sure that he will reach his goals thanks to the good people!

Earlier at UBB, we have already raised funds for Dima. You can view previous projects here.

Name: Ovcharenko Dmytro, 29.03.2012

City: Kharkiv

Diagnosis: cerebral palsy, spastic tetraparesis, impaired movement of the III level according to the classification GMFCS, hand function II level, flat valgus deformity of the feet, aortopulmonary collateral artery without hemodynamic impairment