Holding on to rainbow

The nine-year old sisters – twins Snizhana and Karina the Levinskys from the city of Mariupol have challenged the disease and want badly to kill ICP (infantile cerebral paralysis). But to do that, they need rehabilitation to be undergone at least twice a year.

Galina Baskakova, the girls’ mother, could not event think that her life would drastically change after the babies came into the world. Her pregnancy ran in a normal way although the girls were born ahead of time – they were two and a half kilogram each but when they were discharged there were no deviations detected. When the babies were 7 months however, Galina started noting that there was something wrong with their development: they did not keep their backs, neither did they crawl. The young mother now and again consulted doctors at a children’s hospital but was assured that everything was fine and that they delayed in development because of prematurity. Less than a year passed and doctors changed their initial conclusion and diagnosed that both babies had ICP. Galina is bringing up Snizhana and Karina on her own, without a husband, and the unpromising diagnosis of her girls has greatly changed her attitude to life.

Despite the fact that the 20-year old mother had now and again the moments of despair, thinking that all her efforts to help the children were in vain, her faith in goodness always came back when she saw how her girls were smiling and stretching their tiny arms to her.
Among a few people who have been supporting Galina in the most difficult minutes of her life were the grandmother and the great-grandmother of Snizhana and Karina. By joint efforts they raised money for medicines and special rehabilitation courses which very favorably told on the girls’ condition.
Everything seemed to be more or less well but a year ago the great-grandmother of the girls fell ill and soon had an insult which laid her up. Now Galina is taking care of not only the girls but also helps her mother and grandmother.

Due to the health problems and lack of money in the family, the girls have already missed several courses of rehabilitation, which is whittling away the treatment results achieved earlier on. The mother of Snizhana and Karina does not however despair and hopes that she will manage to raise sufficient money to treat her daughters and they will be able to restore all their former achievements. She also believes that there are people who care, who will help her do that and, what is most important, who will present hope to her little princesses Snizhana and Karina for being able to walk, hand in hand!

Name: Snizhana and Karina Levinskys

Donetsk Region. City: Mariupol.

Diagnosis: ICP, spastic quadriparesis in the sitting phase with control of the head.