Riccardo's journey − SCI recovery
Donation protected
On April 20th Riccardo’s life changed in the blink of an eye.
"The day before I was gardening in the backyard with my friends, almost done with school, ready to enjoy the summer break... I went to bed with a pain in my back and when I woke up I could not move my legs anymore”− Riccardo
“We were scared as hell, I brought him to the emergency room at 6 in the morning, we waited the whole day to understand what the problem was… at 7 pm we still did not know. I just remember that nurses and doctors were always more concerned and kept repeating it’s very weird, but could not give us an answer” −
Valentina, Riccardo’s partner
Finally at night the MRI revealed a cavernoma − a rare genetic malformation of the vessels of his spinal cord. The cavernoma had bled causing the paralysis of his body from the chest down. The same night Riccardo underwent a 4-hour surgery. The doctors were able to stop the bleeding, but unfortunately the damage was done − no motion came back after the surgery.
Riccardo is now a T5 paraplegic struggling everyday with the hardships of his new reality but he is keeping an optimistic outlook on his condition. The doctors predicted that he might regain some motor functions through intensive rehabilitation in the next two years. Only time will tell.
But Riccardo is way more than this. He is the most active guy I have ever met, a great partner and friend, a masters degree student in Forestry with great plans and dreams for the future, an excellent pianist and piano teacher, a tireless gardener, an aquaponic-builder, a hiking-lover, fisherman and a lot more... And he wants to go back to this. We all want him back.
Even though the Canadian government will partly pay for home modifications, medical supplies, equipment etc., there are countless expenses that Riccardo and his family will have to bear:
-Intensive rehabilitation (4 times a week for 2 years)
$ 23,000
-Lightweight wheelchair:
$ 11,000
-Medical equipment: (2 years)
$ 6300
- Home modifications:
$ 2000
Also, Riccardo would love to go back to play his favorite classical composers on the piano as beautifully as he could do before his injury, but, unfortunately he cannot move the pedals of his piano anymore. He would like to purchase a paraplegic piano device that will allow him to activate the pedals through the mouth so that he could go back to perform in concerts and teach more confidently. But again, it costs about $ 1700.
Riccardo faces many physical and psychological challenges and we humbly ask you to help him face this life-changing disability. Every contribution of financial help or services will make an enormous difference to Riccardo, giving him access to healing opportunities.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your help, whatever it is.
Friends & Family
"The day before I was gardening in the backyard with my friends, almost done with school, ready to enjoy the summer break... I went to bed with a pain in my back and when I woke up I could not move my legs anymore”− Riccardo
“We were scared as hell, I brought him to the emergency room at 6 in the morning, we waited the whole day to understand what the problem was… at 7 pm we still did not know. I just remember that nurses and doctors were always more concerned and kept repeating it’s very weird, but could not give us an answer” −
Valentina, Riccardo’s partner
Finally at night the MRI revealed a cavernoma − a rare genetic malformation of the vessels of his spinal cord. The cavernoma had bled causing the paralysis of his body from the chest down. The same night Riccardo underwent a 4-hour surgery. The doctors were able to stop the bleeding, but unfortunately the damage was done − no motion came back after the surgery.
Riccardo is now a T5 paraplegic struggling everyday with the hardships of his new reality but he is keeping an optimistic outlook on his condition. The doctors predicted that he might regain some motor functions through intensive rehabilitation in the next two years. Only time will tell.
But Riccardo is way more than this. He is the most active guy I have ever met, a great partner and friend, a masters degree student in Forestry with great plans and dreams for the future, an excellent pianist and piano teacher, a tireless gardener, an aquaponic-builder, a hiking-lover, fisherman and a lot more... And he wants to go back to this. We all want him back.
Even though the Canadian government will partly pay for home modifications, medical supplies, equipment etc., there are countless expenses that Riccardo and his family will have to bear:
-Intensive rehabilitation (4 times a week for 2 years)
$ 23,000
-Lightweight wheelchair:
$ 11,000
-Medical equipment: (2 years)
$ 6300
- Home modifications:
$ 2000
Also, Riccardo would love to go back to play his favorite classical composers on the piano as beautifully as he could do before his injury, but, unfortunately he cannot move the pedals of his piano anymore. He would like to purchase a paraplegic piano device that will allow him to activate the pedals through the mouth so that he could go back to perform in concerts and teach more confidently. But again, it costs about $ 1700.
Riccardo faces many physical and psychological challenges and we humbly ask you to help him face this life-changing disability. Every contribution of financial help or services will make an enormous difference to Riccardo, giving him access to healing opportunities.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your help, whatever it is.
Friends & Family
Organizer and beneficiary
Valentina Benvenuti
Organizer
Riccardo Baldini
Beneficiary
