SMA won't defeat me!

One-and-a-half-year-old Demyd has a serious genetic disease - type 1 spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). This is a disease in which muscles gradually weaken due to damage to motor neurons.

Without treatment, children with type 1 SMA have progressive muscle weakness and, in addition to complete loss of mobility, their respiratory muscles also weaken, which leads to death. Without treatment, children with SMA type 1 experience progressive muscle weakness and, in addition to complete loss of mobility, their respiratory muscles also weaken, leading to fatal complications.

Demyd's symptoms were apparent from birth: his muscles were too weak, he could hardly move his legs and arms, and he couldn't hold his head up. The doctors were immediately concerned, and shortly thereafter, his parents heard the diagnosis that changed their lives. Timely treatment gave Demyd the most important thing—a chance. The therapy stopped the progression of the disease and preserved the remaining motor neurons. Thanks to this, he has prospects for development.

"We see how he is gradually getting stronger: learning to hold his back, lean on his hands, sit longer, and make his first attempts to move forward. It is a slow but very valuable step forward - proof that he can do more than the disease once allowed. After the initial shock, we realized that only our faith, our strength, and our daily work with him can help his muscles become stronger. While his nervous system is plastic, there is no time to lose - right now, rehabilitation is most effective. We work with him every day and do everything we can to give him a chance at full development. We know what a fighter Demyd is, and we see it every day," says the boy's mother.

Demyd is a very active boy who genuinely wants to move, and we believe that he will have many new victories and new skills ahead of him, but for this he needs our help. Thanks to the support of this project, Demyd will be able to go to rehabilitation, so join us!