Rising from the Ashes: Hanniel's Fight Against Brain on Fire

Hanniel Thompson is only 11 years old. Imagine being at the start of your adolescent years, making unforgettable childhood memories with family and friends, and before you know it, your brain is on fire. A child of eminent potential is now forced to miss the last year of his primary education (the most important year when he would do his PEP examinations and be placed in high school) to confront this devastating disease head-on.

It all started in September of 2023. Hanneil had just started the sixth grade. He was the frontrunner to be the head boy at his school having been class monitor, spelling bee winner at his previous school, and the top student of his class. Before the announcement of his head boy title, he would have blank stares or gazes (we now know that he was experiencing absent seizures). However, this quickly developed into panic attacks and ongoing seizures.

Witnessing a child who was so full of life and love go through suicidal ideation was one of the most traumatizing things I have ever experienced. In addition to giving up on life, he was fearful that he would lose his family.

And that was when dawn gave way to midnight. His seizures were so frequent that he was hospitalized. Several tests, including an MRI, CT scan, and EEG were ordered for him, but all the results were normal. These results convinced one physician that Hanneil was faking his symptoms, but that physician was simply unable to comprehend. Still, the doctors tinkered with the idea of a bipolar disorder or schizophrenia diagnosis. By now, Hanniel was stricken with incontinence, loss of speech, immobility, a loss of appetite and dengue. The case was assigned to a specialist at the University of West Indies Hospital and Hanniel was

diagnosed with Anti-NMDA Encephalitis.

While this condition mostly affects females with an average age of 21 years old, heartbreakingly, Hanniel falls into the even rarer 5% of cases– a statistic that no child should ever have to face. What a long journey this has been indeed, but we have now learned that the race is not for the swift, but for those who can endure. Hanniel is no longer in diapers and is now able to walk by himself. We have a long way to go on this recovery process. He still has psychiatric tendencies, aggression and loss of speech. The plan now is for him to get IVIG monthly, as well as speech rehabilitation. He will still need to do the relevant tests and checks to guide the physicians on proper management of his symptoms.

We are desperately appealing to our community's kindness to help us raise $30,000 to support Hanniel on his road to recovery. Every contribution, no matter how small, can make a profound difference in this young warrior's fight against brain on fire. You can contribute by donating, sharing this campaign, and keeping Hanniel and his family in your thoughts and prayers.

Your support could be the difference between despair and triumph, between a life lived unaware and a life lived to its fullest potential.