Elia is a truly special child. His smile lights up our days, and his quiet strength teaches us, every single day, what it really means to never give up.

He was born with an extra chromosome, #21, which is Down's Syndrome. This makes his journey very challenging. Every movement, every word, every small milestone requires time, dedication, and an incredible team effort. And yet, he faces each challenge with sweetness and determination. His courage moves us deeply.

We are a close and united family, and each of us plays a part in his journey. Our days are filled with school, playtime, joyful chaos, therapy sessions, smiles, and the kind of exhaustion only families walking this path can truly understand. But they are also filled with magic — those beautiful moments when Elia achieves something that just days before seemed impossible. These are our small, extraordinary victories.

To grow and reach his full potential, Elia needs continuous and specialized support:

physiotherapy to strengthen his body, speech therapy to develop communication, developmental stimulation, specialist consultations, and tools that foster independence.

Now that he is just over three years old, this phase is especially important. In the early years — particularly up to age six — a child’s brain develops at an extraordinary pace. Providing consistent, targeted support during this time can make a profound difference in his future. We are determined to give him every possible opportunity.

For this reason, we chose to participate in the Doman Program from Philadelphia, through DOMAN International here in Italy. We are deeply encouraged by the progress Elia has made and grateful for the results we are seeing. The program requires daily commitment and dedication from our entire family, but it brings us hope — and Elia repays every effort with his progress and his joy.

Unfortunately, excellence in care is rarely inexpensive. The Doman Program costs $15,000 per year. After two years of fully committing to this path, we have used all of our savings. We firmly believe in the value of this support, but continuing has become financially overwhelming.

For Elia’s sake, we do not want to stop.

That is why we are humbly reaching out and asking for the support of generous hearts who may wish to walk alongside us in this journey.

This fundraising campaign will allow Elia to continue receiving the therapies and guidance he needs, without having to give up crucial steps in his development. Our dream is for him to live as independently as possible in the future — and we believe he will. He is strong and determined… just like our family.

Every contribution, no matter how small, becomes a building block in Elia’s future:

a muscle growing stronger

a new skill taking shape

a step toward greater independence and confidence

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you to anyone who chooses to support us or simply share our story. Your kindness becomes part of Elia’s journey — and part of our family’s hope.

With gratitude,

Maria