Hello,

My name is Georgiy, and I would like to share my long and difficult story with you.

I was born in the year 2000, as a healthy baby with no medical complications. I grew up an active child, went to kindergarten, and was preparing for school. But in 2007 tragedy struck my family. I became ill with viral encephalitis. I spent more than two weeks in a coma, connected to machines and IV drips. The doctors fought for my life, while my family spent every minute outside the ICU doors, praying for my recovery.

It was a miracle when I finally came out of the coma and my condition stabilised. However, I didn’t understand who I was, where I was, or what had happened. I was paralyzed. I couldn’t hold my head up, my mouth remained open, and saliva constantly ran down my face.

Therapists worked with me every day. Massage therapists, physiotherapists, and an occupational therapist. I had to learn how to live again from the very beginning.

After a full year of constant rehabilitation, my awareness slowly returned, and I became more communicative. My left arm began functioning somewhat, and now I can use it to hold a spoon and feed myself, and even type on a computer keyboard.

Despite ongoing physiotherapy, my legs became deformed, and my right arm never regained movement. In 2016 I underwent surgery to lengthen my hamstring tendons, but unfortunately, it did not bring the expected results.

Now I am 25 years old. I have gone through and achieved a lot. I completed school through home education and learned to write, although I still speak with great difficulty. I remain in a wheelchair and am classified as a Level 1 disabled person.

My family has and continues to do, everything possible to help me stand on my feet again, to walk, move, and run like I did before my illness.

At one rehabilitation centre, we were advised to meet with Dr. Peter Bernius, a renowned neuro-orthopedic surgeon from Germany. He travels to Georgia twice a year and performs unique surgeries that help children and adults like me. We waited six months for a consultation. Our meeting with Dr. Bernius was encouraging. After examining me thoroughly, he confirmed that surgery would improve my condition. It could relieve the contractures and spasticity that prevent my muscles from functioning properly. However, the most difficult part will be the rehabilitation: I will need at least six months of intensive therapy to strengthen the muscles in my legs, arms, and back.

I am ready to keep fighting.

I want to stand on my own feet. I want to be healthy, independent, and able to live without incontinence pads and without a wheelchair, but unfortunately, my family cannot afford this expensive surgery and rehabilitation. That is why I am reaching out to you, kind people, for support.

With love,

Georgi