Benett's medical & travel expenses
Donation protected
Benett is a sweet 5-year-old little boy who lives in Budapest, Hungary with his parents and two siblings. He loves Sponge Bob and carries the same doll everywhere he goes since he was two.
Benett was diagnosed with microcephaly when he was 6 months old. It is a rare neurological condition in which children have significantly smaller head than children of the same age; usually it is a result of their brain developing abnormally in the womb. There is no cure to microcephaly but early intervention and supportive therapies help to improve the quality of life.
The parents were devastated but they were determined to do everything in their power to help him thrive. Mom had to leave her job in order to take care of him and take him to frequent doctor’s appointments, speech and occupational therapies.
Four years went by and the same neurosurgeon who diagnosed him with microcephaly when he was only a couple of months old now diagnosed him with craniosynostosis instead. It is a condition in which one or more sutures of an infant’s skull fuses prematurely and does not provide enough space for the brain to grow. The pressure inside the skull can lead to several complications: significant reduction in IQ, impairment of mental and visual development just to name a few. The prevention of these complications is surgery which is best performed between 6 and 12 months of age.
This person is considered the best pediatric neurosurgeon in the country, there is no other physician in Hungary who would dare to argue that his diagnosis is not correct.
Benett had surgery on October 28th 2015, he nearly lost his life. The surgeon admitted that Benett’s brain was injured during surgery.
After surgery his condition worsened, he had constant headaches. The surgeon told the parents that he would need to perform the same surgery on Benett every year and if he didn’t, then their son wouldn’t live past his 18th birthday. Those were his exact words.
That’s when the parents turned to Boston Children’s Hospital hoping that they could perform one revolutionary surgery preventing Benett to undergo a series of surgeries in Hungary. With the help of friends and family they were able to go to Boston in January 2016 and have a consultation with a neurosurgeon and a plastic surgeon.
According to their findings Benett didn’t need any surgery at all. He didn’t even need it in the first place because he did not have craniosynostosis nor microcephaly. He had been misdiagnosed twice by the same neurosurgeon in Hungary and had his skull sliced open for no reason. Needless to say the parents were in shock and utter disbelief.
The next step for Benett is to see a neurologist at the Boston Children’s Hospital. His appointment is on March 29th but payment needs to be made in advance and the deadline is March 14th. Money is really tight, the family can barely make ends meet and depleted all financial resources but they are desperate for a diagnosis and treatment for their son.
We invited the family into our home and got to know them very well during their short stay in Massachusetts. They are hardworking, honest people with whom unfortunately too many bad things happened. Mom had major abdominal surgery a month before their trip and dad is on medication at age 32 due to stress related illness. Despite that, they’re strong and marching ahead for their son with your help. Any donation will be greatly appreciated and would be used solely for medical and travel expenses. If you can, please share with anyone you think could help. We thank you from the bottom of all our hearts.
Benett was diagnosed with microcephaly when he was 6 months old. It is a rare neurological condition in which children have significantly smaller head than children of the same age; usually it is a result of their brain developing abnormally in the womb. There is no cure to microcephaly but early intervention and supportive therapies help to improve the quality of life.
The parents were devastated but they were determined to do everything in their power to help him thrive. Mom had to leave her job in order to take care of him and take him to frequent doctor’s appointments, speech and occupational therapies.
Four years went by and the same neurosurgeon who diagnosed him with microcephaly when he was only a couple of months old now diagnosed him with craniosynostosis instead. It is a condition in which one or more sutures of an infant’s skull fuses prematurely and does not provide enough space for the brain to grow. The pressure inside the skull can lead to several complications: significant reduction in IQ, impairment of mental and visual development just to name a few. The prevention of these complications is surgery which is best performed between 6 and 12 months of age.
This person is considered the best pediatric neurosurgeon in the country, there is no other physician in Hungary who would dare to argue that his diagnosis is not correct.
Benett had surgery on October 28th 2015, he nearly lost his life. The surgeon admitted that Benett’s brain was injured during surgery.
After surgery his condition worsened, he had constant headaches. The surgeon told the parents that he would need to perform the same surgery on Benett every year and if he didn’t, then their son wouldn’t live past his 18th birthday. Those were his exact words.
That’s when the parents turned to Boston Children’s Hospital hoping that they could perform one revolutionary surgery preventing Benett to undergo a series of surgeries in Hungary. With the help of friends and family they were able to go to Boston in January 2016 and have a consultation with a neurosurgeon and a plastic surgeon.
According to their findings Benett didn’t need any surgery at all. He didn’t even need it in the first place because he did not have craniosynostosis nor microcephaly. He had been misdiagnosed twice by the same neurosurgeon in Hungary and had his skull sliced open for no reason. Needless to say the parents were in shock and utter disbelief.
The next step for Benett is to see a neurologist at the Boston Children’s Hospital. His appointment is on March 29th but payment needs to be made in advance and the deadline is March 14th. Money is really tight, the family can barely make ends meet and depleted all financial resources but they are desperate for a diagnosis and treatment for their son.
We invited the family into our home and got to know them very well during their short stay in Massachusetts. They are hardworking, honest people with whom unfortunately too many bad things happened. Mom had major abdominal surgery a month before their trip and dad is on medication at age 32 due to stress related illness. Despite that, they’re strong and marching ahead for their son with your help. Any donation will be greatly appreciated and would be used solely for medical and travel expenses. If you can, please share with anyone you think could help. We thank you from the bottom of all our hearts.
Organizer and beneficiary
Zoltan Fagyal
Organizer
Bellingham, MA
Zoltan Fagyal
Beneficiary
