Give Hope to Ilyas and His Family

Hi, my name is Courtney Gilman Acherkiy, and I’m reaching out with a heavy heart to ask for your support for my cousin-in-law's precious 5-year-old son, Ilyas. When I moved to Morocco in 2021, Ilyas was one of the first of my husband's family members who welcomed me with a huge hug.

Just months ago, Ilyas was a happy, playful little boy running, laughing, and enjoying life with his younger brother in Tiznit, Morocco. Ever since I've known him, he's been full of life. But everything changed when he suddenly suffered a seizure. After being rushed to the hospital, doctors gave him medication to calm the seizure and sent him home, hoping it was an isolated incident.

But weeks passed, and his condition only worsened. Devastatingly, doctors have now discovered through scans that Ilyas’s brain is shrinking, and his mobility is rapidly declining. What's worse, doctors don't know the underlying cause of the seizures nor the cerebral atrophy.

This once-vibrant child has lost the ability to speak, walk, and play like he used to. He can no longer go to school or manage daily living tasks without his parents' help. As you can imagine his parents are heartbroken as they watch their little boy fight this unknown battle. As a mother to a young boy myself, I'm reaching out to friends, family, and strangers because I know how important community would be for me at this time.

In Morocco, specialized pediatric care and mobility equipment are costly, and the family’s limited resources are stretched to the breaking point. They’re now facing mounting expenses for:

✔️ Urgent medical & genetic tests to uncover the cause of his decline

✔️ Specialized treatments & medications (searching for new doctors)

✔️ Mobility aids & therapy to help him regain strength

✔️ Travel to hospitals (local and abroad) for advanced care

I'm asking for your kindness to help ease this family’s burden. Every donation, no matter how small, will go directly toward Ilyas’s care; giving him and his family a glimmer of hope to finding the underlying cause that's taking away his ability to speak and walk. IIyas deserves to regain his quality of life.

Please donate and share this campaign. Every share spreads Ilyas’s story further. Let’s show this family they’re not alone.

With gratitude,

Courtney Gilman Acherkiy

P.S. I've shared a few photos of IIyas and his family. The photos span over the time I've been in Morocco, and he now has a younger brother as you can see from the photo of the two boys reading at the table. The most recent photo is where he has lost mobility, and is laying down. Although it's difficult to look at, it shows his current state, in which he appears to be a completely different child. Time is of the essence in order to help the family find out what's causing his deterioration. Thank you again for considering to donate, and for any support you can provide.