My name is Julia, and this is harder to write than I ever imagined.

My husband Andrew and I are not people who typically ask our community for help. But this time, we are struggling to find a way on our own, and our son's vision is on the line. So we're swallowing our pride, and asking...

Our son Asher is 8 years old. He is curious and fiercely funny. He also has autism and ADHD, which means the world already asks a lot of him every single day. But he rises to it.

If you know Asher, you know that he is endlessly silly, always working the crowd. He also loves to build puzzles and elaborate worlds out of Legos with anyone willing to sit down and create with him.

But what he loves most are the rituals that anchor his family. On Friday nights, he enjoys reciting the Shabbat blessings with his little brother (and best friend) Melo. He is in every sense, a kid who loves hard on all of the people in his orbit. And we believe that he deserves to see it.

In January 2026, we learned why Asher had been struggling with his vision.

He was diagnosed with keratoglobus, an extremely rare connective tissue disease that attacks the corneas, causing them to become dangerously thin and brittle. It is degenerative. and is particularly aggressive during childhood growth spurts.

By the time we learned what was happening, Asher's right eye had already sustained severe scarring and had lost most of the vision in that eye. His left eye is still fighting, but without intervention, it won't be for long.

The problem is that the treatment he needs doesn't exist in the United States.

For most patients with corneal conditions, a procedure called corneal cross-linking can slow or stop the damage. But Asher's corneas are so thin that the standard U.S. protocols would cause more harm than good. Every specialist we've seen has said the same thing: the way it's done here, we cannot safely treat him.

There is one place in the world where Asher can be treated for the corneal cross-linking procedure.

The ELZA Institute in Zurich, Switzerland is a global leader in treating rare and extreme corneal conditions. Dr. Farhad Hafezi has developed a specialized approach called the Epi-On Corneal Cross-Linking with Sub-400 Protocol, which was specifically designed for patients with corneas as thin as Asher's. Unlike the U.S. method, this protocol keeps the outer layer of the cornea intact during treatment, while working around the extremely thin patches of cornea.

For Asher, this is the only treatment option that will help preserve his corneas and give him the best possible chance at a sighted future.

What we are raising funds for:

The procedure itself costs $65,000 and is not covered by insurance as it is not FDA-approved, and therefore unavailable and un-reimbursable in the US.

Beyond the procedure, we will need to stay in Switzerland for approximately 2.5 weeks to complete the required follow-up appointments with Dr. Hafezi's team, which means flights, transportation, housing, and meals.

After we return, Asher may also need to be seen at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota for follow-up monitoring with the pediatric corneal specialist there, likely three visits within the first six months, under the guidance of Dr. Hafezi's team.

We are doing our best to estimate the full cost, and we are raising $95,000 to cover:

Every dollar raised goes directly to Asher's care. Nothing else.

We are asking because Asher deserves every chance we can possibly give him.

If you are able to give, thank you. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you. If you can't, please share his story. The right person seeing this could change everything.

With endless gratitude,

Julia & Andrew Polaniecki