Help Vitaly Thrive: Let's Create a Stable Future!

Hi, we’re Shelly and Alvaro, parents to our not-so-little boy anymore — Vitaly, who has changed our world in every way imaginable.

Our Journey

Five years ago, our lives were turned upside down when Vitaly developed a rare seizure condition that causes him to have hundreds of seizures a day. In those early years, we lived in a constant state of fear. We spent weeks at a time in the hospital, terrified, overwhelmed, and silently struggling.

We didn’t tell many people at first. We were drowning financially, but also emotionally, ashamed, exhausted, and scared to share the darkness that had taken over our lives.

Then something incredible happened: a few close friends saw our pain and started a GoFundMe for us. We were stunned by the kindness and generosity that followed. Our community stepped up and because of that, we were able to explore treatments we never would’ve had access to.

Progress & Hope

That support changed everything. It gave us the chance to try therapies. Some didn’t work, but some did. Thanks to dedicated alternative health practitioners and persistent research, we’ve found a care plan that gives Vitaly windows of seizure freedom. It's a fragile balance, but it’s real. And it’s given him and us moments of peace, laughter, and relief.

The truth is, keeping Vitaly stable is a full-time job. His care isn’t covered by insurance or government programs because many of his treatments are naturopathic or outside the traditional medical system here in Canada.

We’ve fought hard to keep going, working when we can, living modestly, selling almost everything we own — but the costs have added up, and we’ve hit a breaking point.

Setbacks & Urgent Need

This July, Vitaly had the worst flare-up since this began. This decline happened because we could no longer afford to keep up with the treatments that were helping him. He was hospitalized nearly every 10 days. When he was home, he couldn’t walk or even stand safely without assistance due to the constant seizures and the heavy medications required to stop his status epilepticus (a dangerous condition where seizures don’t stop on their own). It took both of us around the clock just to keep him safe.

As a result, we haven’t been able to work, and now we are behind on rent, insurance, and basic bills for August.

We always thought this would be temporary, that we’d find the cause and fix it. But it’s become clear that this is a marathon, not a sprint. We’ve made progress, but it’s not sustainable without income. Vitaly still needs daily support, and we need to be able to provide it without money being the barrier.

We’re Asking for Help — But This Time, It’s Different

This isn’t a request for short-term support it’s about building something sustainable. We've come to terms with the fact that traditional jobs aren't an option for us. We’re creating flexible ways to earn a living so we can care for our son and support our family. We just need a boost to get there.

What We’re Raising Funds For:

To help us stabilize our living situation, restart the treatments that help Vitaly, and build a sustainable income source that allows us to care for him full time.

$4,600 – Rent for August and September

$1,200 – Essential bills insurance payments for August and September plus arrears

$1,500 – Urgent medical costs to resume Vitaly’s treatment and care

$7,200 – To repair our vehicles so we can launch multiple flexible businesses that allow us to earn an income between hospital stays.

Why We’re Still Hopeful

We’re not giving up, far from it.

We’ve begun developing digital products and we are preparing to launch multiple car based businesses to help create long term income. We're using every tool we have; creativity, resilience, and community to rewrite our story. But right now, we need help bridging the gap between survival and stability.

How You Can Help

If you’ve read this far, thank you! Truly. Your support in any form means the world to us.

✅ Donate whatever you can: Every dollar helps us stay housed and move forward

✅ Share this campaign: Share with friends, family, or anyone who might care

✅ Send love, prayers, or healing energy for Vitaly that matters, too!

From our family to yours:

Thank you for seeing us.

Thank you for believing in families like ours.

Thank you for giving us hope.

With deep gratitude,

Shelly, Alvaro, Ignacio & Vitaly