Dear friends,
We are asking you to help 6-year-old Zhenya (Eugenia) Moiseeva from Kaliningrad. As a result of a complicated birth, Zhenya has
cerebral palsy. She can’t walk, but thanks to the efforts of her parents, her physicians and Zhenya herself, her condition has been
steadily improving. However, walking without support is still impossible for her. For active life, she needs a new wheelchair, which
costs 7056 Polish zlotys (about 70,560 roubles, or a little less than $2400). Please help Zhenya gain mobility!
Zhenya's mother writes, “Zhenya is our only child, and we love her dearly. But she suffers from cerebral palsy, and even walking
without support is still only a dream for her, although she is already six years old.”
It all started with pregnancy complications. Marina, Zhenya's mother, had to be hospitalized several times. She wento into
preterm labor at only 32nd week of gestation. During the first hour of her life, Zhenya developed respiratory failure and spent 10
days in the intensive care on a breathing machine. Every day during these ten days, Marina pumped her milk and brought it to her daughter
in the hospital, and the physicians could only tell her that the baby's condition was “stable but serious.” But Zhenya fought for her
life and won! However, this was only her first victory, and other battles were yet to come.
A month later, Zhenya was discharged from the hospital. Local neurologist said that now everything would be all right.
But she couldn't sit at seven months, and it became clear that something was wrong. When Zhenya was one year old, she was diagnosed
with cerebral palsy and spastic tetraparesis. Carefree childhood was over. Her life turned into an infinite succession of treatment
courses, pills and injections.
During the past few years, Zhenya and her mother visited dozens of physicians and clinics. Zhenya underwent 20 treatment courses
of Prof. Skvortsov's thrapy, 3 courses at the Truskavets clinic (Ukraine), 2 courses at the Adeli center (Slovakia), 5 courses at the
Olinek clinic (Poland). There were also endless massage courses, pills and exercise therapy at home. It was not in vain. Zhenya's
physical, motor and speech development improved a lot. She can already sit, crawl on her fours, stand up and move sideways with
support, stand on her knees and walk on them a little. She can stand without support for 30-40 seconds and even walk with support.
Her speech is normal, and specialists say that her intellectual development is not delayed. She attends kindergarten, although some
time ago the physicians were sure it would never be possible.
Zhenya has made great progress, but there is still much to be done. Treatment can't stop. Zhenya's progress was especially marked
after rehabilitation at the Olinek center in Poland. Polish therapists think that now Zhenya can now replace four-point support
appliances with ordinary support sticks, which means a fundamentally new stage in her development.
However, walking unsupported is still a remote dream. But being able to move about by herself is vitally important for Zhenya.
So Zhenya needs an active wheelchair. The word “active” means that Zhenya will use this wheelchair by herself.
Poland is the nearest place to Kaliningrad where such a wheelchair can be bought is Poland. When she was there last time,
the wheelchair was ordered for her at Otto Bock distributor. The company agreed to manufacture is without prepayment, but the
family cannot get it it is paied for in full.
In Russia, comparable wheelchairs cost over 120-130 thousand roubles (4000-4300 USD). In Poland the price is only 7050 zlotys
(about 2400 USD), delivery included. The wheelchair is ready for Zhenya! But the family has no money to pay for it.
Zhenya's mother Marina cannot get a job because she spends a lot of time taking care of her ill child. The father's salary barely covers
Zhenya's medical expenses. And the family can pay for rehabilitation courses only thanks to the kind help of strangers.
Here is the letter from Zhenya's mother, “I rely on your help. Zhenya's condition is treatable, there is stable improvement,
and now all physicians tell us that Zhenya's prospects are good, that she has a chance for normal life in the future. She will be able
to graduate from school, to go to college, to have a boyfriend, to dance. Zhenya is very smart, so clear-thinking and wise for her age.
She loves reading and drawing – well, there are still some problems with drawing, but she is trying hard. She also enjoys swimming, and
she has even won a swimming competition! She loves cycling and watching cartoons. She is just like any other child, but every stage of
her development requires a great deal of effort. And she is so beautiful! Our child can be healthy, and I have no right to give up.
Please help us! Yours respectfully, Zhenya’s mother Marina Tarasova.”
If you would like to help and prefer to transfer money directly to the account of her mother Marina Tarasova, contact us.
People living in the United States can also donate via Help Journal. Thank you!
Our heartfelt thanks go to all who have helped to raise money for a wheelchair for Zhenya
Moiseeva. Please, forgive us for taking a long time to post an update, but here it is: a wheelchair for Zhenya was purchased in July. Zhenya
and her Mom spent the rest of the summer in Poland, where Zhenya was undergoing physical therapy. They sent us photos of Zhenya in her new chair.