Help Rodri hear for first time

Rodrigo is a an unbelievable, lovely, and charismatic little kid. But, above all, he is a courageous fighter: a survivor.

When he was born 11 years ago the survival expectations, not to mention the quality of life, were not very optimistic. He was born with Down syndrome, esophageal atresia (EA, a rare birth defect in which the baby is born without an esophagus among other complications), heart malfuctions and it was discovered later that he was also deaf.

During his first years, he battled between life and death with invasive surgeries in order to transplant part of his colon to function as his esophagus. He struggled with continuous infections like pneumonia and suffered digestive complications which, giving his delicate condition, was not a fight to survive, but a war.

Each day has been an attack on all fronts, but with proper attention and, most of all, the love and care from his family and his extraordinary mother, he has been able to grow into a happy boy who enjoys life. He has learned to communicate through hand gestures and noises and has become the shining ray of life in every heart that he touches. He is a source of inspiration for every person, and all who meet him can say that they had the luxury to fall in love with him.

To be blunt, many years of continuing medical care has taken its toll in his family’s financial resources which now makes it impossible to cover what he wants the most: to be able to hear and learn to talk.

Cochlear implant seems to be the solution but evaluation, surgery, device, and rehabilitation can cost as much as $100,000. Since Rodrigo lives in Mexico, his medical insurance doesn't cover such expenses due to the fact that deafness is relegated as low priority for down syndrome people.

We are his 16 years old cousins  Ivana & Joana, US citizen living in the Chicago area. We are starting a fundraiser to cover at least part of the costs (our target is $20,000) to be able to bring Rodrigo to the US with his valid visa in order to be properly evaluated. Here, he will hopefully get the implant and continue his therapies both in the US or Mexico as needed.

Rodrigo needs the implant as soon as possible, or we risk the possibility of losing him to deafness forever, to strip him of an opportunity to talk with his mother, to fail him. Therapy for hearing and learning how to speak are more effective at a young age, and time is running out. Help us give this little boy life. Help him hear. Help him talk.

P.S.  Donators from out of USA take in count donations are in US dollars.