Hi, my name is Kikly Zalavarria. I am a mom trying to collect funds to help Cesar, a 1-year old child who is currently battling for his life with a condition called West Syndrome (a rare form of epilepsy) in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. On March 13, 2025, Cesar began having seizures every hour and vomiting blood. He needed to be airlifted to be hospitalized and his family is now in desperate financial need due to Cesar’s medical bills, surgery, and ongoing treatment.

Please see message below from his mom who had to take an indefinite leave from work to be with his baby who is in critical condition:

ENGLISH:

Cesar Alfredo Gómez Irías was born prematurely on August 11, 2023. At 14 days old, he suffered a grade 4 cerebral hemorrhage (the most severe type of cerebral hemorrhage). He spent 21 days in the NICU on mechanical ventilation and support measures. For the Glory of God, he was discharged, breathing on his own and eating.

A month later, he returned to the emergency room for severe hydrocephalus, for which a ventriculoperitoneal shunt valve was inserted. However, it became contaminated and had to be removed. He was given antibiotics for 21 days, followed by a second ventriculoperitoneal shunt, which was successful, for the Glory of God.

At 6 months old, he began experiencing atypical seizures, so an electroencephalogram was performed, and the pediatric neurologist diagnosed him with West Syndrome (a rare epilepsy, similar to infantile spasms).

With anticonvulsant treatment and daily therapies, he was stable for 11 months.

On Thursday, March 13, he began having seizures every hour and vomiting blood, so he was taken to the regional hospital of La Ceiba. However, he was referred to Tegucigalpa by air ambulance. Upon arriving at the hospital, he underwent surgery less than an hour later because his ventriculoperitoneal shunt valve had moved out of place.

ESPAÑOL:

Cesar Alfredo Gómez Irías nació el 11 de agosto del 2023 nació prematuro. A los 14 días de vida presentó una hemorragia cerebral grado 4 (la más grave de ese tipo de hemorragia cerebral). Por lo que estuvo 21 días en UCIN con ventilación mecánica y medidas de soporte. Por la Gloria de Dios salió de alta, respirando por sí mismo y alimentándose.

Un mes después regresa a emergencias por una hidrocefalia severa, por lo que le colocaron una válvula de Derivación Ventrículo Peritoneal pero está se contaminó y se le tuvo que retirar, por lo que se le dió cobertura antibiótica por 21 días y luego colocarle nuevamente otra 2da válvula de Derivación Ventrículo Peritoneal, saliendo exitoso en todo para la Gloria de Dios.

A los 6 meses de vida inicia con convulsiones atípicas, por lo que se le realizó un electroencefalograma y el neurólogo pediatra le diagnosticaron síndrome de West (una rara epilepsia, tipo espasmos infantiles).

Con tratamiento anticonvulsivantes y terapias diarias estuvo estable 11 meses.

El jueves 13 de marzo empezó a convulsionar cada hora y se acompaño de vomitos con sangre, por lo que fue llevado al hospital regional de la Ceiba, pero fue referido a Tegucigalpa en avión ambulancia, al llegar al hospital en menos de 1 hora fue intervenido quirúrgicamente ya que su válvula de Derivación Ventrículo Peritoneal se había movido de lugar.