Just being a child

For Artem, a normal childhood is a dream that he has to fight for every day. He was born with cerebral palsy and sensorineural hearing loss. Doctors said he had almost no chance. But for Artem's mother, these were just words. She looked for specialists, studied with her son, took him to different centers, and supported him at every stage. Because she saw that her boy understood everything, felt everything, and wanted to live a normal childhood life.

Now Artem is ten years old. Despite his condition, he is sincerely eager to live. He is very sociable, loves his activities, and loves animals. His eyes light up when he sees horses, as equine-assisted therapy has become a real discovery for him. After a course of lessons, he gained more strength: he started to kneel, better balanced, straightened his arms and legs. And most importantly, he smiles.

Previously, Artem attended dolphin therapy in his native Kharkiv. He had so much happiness, joy, and inspiration! And his Doberman Charlie, with whom they grew up together, was his best friend. Animals bring out the best in Artem – calmness, trust, warmth.

Artem loves to study. He is interested in learning letters and numbers, and he enthusiastically participates in online classes because there are his peers, live communication, and a part of what is called a "normal childhood", He works with speech therapists, sign language teachers, and rehabilitation specialists. He really wants to go back to Rostok Zhyttia, the center where he really gets help. There are specialists waiting for him who know how to support Artem so that he can move on. At the end of June, Artem will undergo neurosurgery to help reduce the severe muscle tension in his legs that prevents him from walking. After the surgery, the boy will need a course of rehabilitation, but the family can no longer cope financially and is asking for support in paying for it.

Artem's mother addresses everyone who cares with a single request: Help her son. Because even the smallest support today means a new movement tomorrow. These are numbers written by a child's hand. These are eyes shining with joy. This is a step towards a life with room for play, friends, and dreams.

Give Artem a chance to just be a child.