Help Hella Reach Her Full Potential: A Journey of Hope, Love

Hi, my name is Emma, and I’m reaching out on behalf of my sister Eszter and her family. I want to share with you the story of their beautiful daughter, Hella, and the challenges they’ve faced with her health since birth.

Hella was born after a difficult pregnancy filled with uncertainties. Initially, doctors suspected Down syndrome, brain developmental disorders, and disproportionate growth, but miraculously, she was born healthy. However, as time went on, it became clear that something wasn’t quite right.

At just six weeks old, Hella began showing signs of muscle tension and weakness, prompting her parents to start therapy right away. She attended weekly sessions until she was 18 months old. When she was six months old, Hella suffered a seizure, followed by another at the emergency room. After a series of tests, doctors concluded that the seizures were likely caused by a virus and fever. But that was just the beginning. Over the next two months, Hella had 16 seizures of unknown origin. By the time she was eight months old, she was diagnosed with epilepsy.

Over the following year, Hella endured two MRIs, multiple hospitalizations, and the constant battle with her weak immune system. Despite this, her parents kept pushing forward, exploring every possible therapy to support Hella’s cognitive and speech development. They consulted specialists from all around the country. During genetic testing, they discovered that Hella has a rare chromosome disorder and DNA mutation that could significantly affect her quality of life. There's also the possibility of early-onset dementia, and the future remains uncertain.

Hella's doctors are continuing to monitor her and conduct further tests, but these are expensive. Her genetic tests alone cost 600 Euros, and sadly, their application for state support was denied.

Currently, Hella attends a special nursery 30 km from her home, where she receives vital therapies such as hydrotherapy, speech therapy, and one-on-one care. Despite these efforts, the mounting medical costs, travel expenses, and ongoing therapies are becoming more than they can handle. On top of that, my sister struggles to balance her role as a caregiver with the need to return to work. The costs of fuel, car maintenance (they rely on a 16-year-old car), and ongoing medical treatments are adding up. Additionally, Hella requires complex neurological therapy, which is only available in Budapest—250 km from their home—further increasing the financial and logistical burden on the family.

What Hella and her family want more than anything is for her to have the opportunity to reach her full potential and to enjoy a happy childhood full of love and support. The emotional and financial burden on them is growing every day, and to cope with it, both Hella’s 5-year-old sibling and my sister are undergoing psychotherapy. But they can’t do this alone.

That’s why we’re asking for your support.

We are raising funds to cover the costs of: