Help Lautaro Breathe at Home - He Needs a Lifesaving BiPAP

“Help Lautaro Breathe at Home – He Needs a Lifesaving BiPAP”

Campaign story:

Hi, my name is Lorena Morello, and I am the proud grandmother of Lautaro Rivadavia, a beautiful and resilient 12-year-old boy living in Montevideo, Uruguay.

Lautaro’s life changed forever when, at just 6 months old, he developed meningitis caused by Haemophilus influenzae type B, despite being vaccinated with the pentavalent shot. This led to a diagnosis of chronic sequelae encephalopathy, severe refractory epilepsy, and progressive chronic lung disease.

He has been hospitalized countless times throughout his life. Right now, Lautaro has been in Médica Uruguaya (a medical center in Montevideo) for over 40 days, more than a month of that in ICU. Although he is now in a hospital room, he cannot go home without a BiPAP ventilator, which helps him breathe—especially during the night—and is now essential for his survival.

Why we need your help

We are trying to raise $6,100 USD (approximately 240,000 Uruguayan pesos) to buy a non-invasive BiPAP ventilator. In the near future, we’ll also need a second backup unit, because if the only device fails, Lautaro cannot survive even a few minutes without respiratory support.

But the ventilator is just one piece of a much larger reality. Caring for Lautaro is a full-time job, physically, emotionally, and financially. His daily needs include:

• Feeding through a gastric tube, using medical-grade nutritional supplements

• Constant use of diapers and skin creams

• Specialized mattresses and oxygen support, which dramatically raise electricity costs

• Multiple daily medications, many of which are not covered by the public healthcare system

His parents, Azul (34) and Santiago (30), split their time between caring for Lautaro and working flexible jobs. Since Lautaro became ill, they were unable to finish their education—something that limits their access to better work opportunities. They live with relentless responsibility, never resting, and giving Lautaro all their love and energy.

Throughout these 12 years, we have received support from many generous people. We are blessed to have family both in Uruguay and in the U.S. — including my cousin Daniela (who is helping launch this campaign from Port St. Lucie, Florida), as well as my aunt and several cousins who have stood by us in key moments. They’ve helped us financially and provided medical supplies we simply can’t find in Uruguay.

We’ve also been deeply moved by the kindness of countless people who have supported us during past fundraising efforts. Some know us personally, others heard Lautaro’s story through word of mouth or social media, and chose to help. That invisible network of empathy has kept us going time and again.

Today, we hope this GoFundMe can also become an ongoing support fund for Lautaro, not just for the BiPAP, but for the many unexpected medical expenses that come with his complex condition.

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What your donation will help us cover:

• Purchase of a BiPAP ventilator

• A second backup BiPAP unit

• Medical accessories, filters, feeding tubes, creams, and diapers

• Nutritional supplements and medications

• Increased electricity bills due to medical equipment

• Emergency and unplanned medical needs

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Lautaro is a warrior. Despite everything he’s been through, he radiates light. He loves music, responds to the love around him, and expresses himself in his own way. He deserves to breathe safely at home, surrounded by family, peace, and comfort.

If you can donate, even a little, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. If you can’t, please consider sharing this campaign with your community. Every gesture matters. Every share helps.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Lorena (Lautaro’s grandmother)

and our entire family