We Love Niko

 My name is Natasha Steiner and I have set up this GoFundMe page for a family that is very dear to me. They have a son who has a progressive disease which has extremely high medical care costs. They have had to take cash advances on their credit card and borrowed money to pay for some of Niko's non-covered medical costs. Their hearts ache because they know when Niko's fight is over, they have no money for his funeral.

 Dealing with a terminally ill child is overwhelming in itself, but not being able to provide the appropriate care and the final resting costs, are too burdensome to bear. Please help this family's last months with their son be as stressfree as possible. 

Please read below for Niko's story. 

Niko Joseph was a special gift from the very beginning.  When he was born we had nothing but hopes and dreams for the future to come.  We had an amazingly smiley boy who was overly obsessed with his eyebrows. His giggle was contagious and people always referred to him as such a ladies man. Little did we know the road this journey would take us on.

     Niko Joseph Lopez has been diagnosed with Mitochondrial Complex 1 Deficiency, Brain Atrophy with Polymicrogyria, Myoclonus, and Epilepsy. Niko’s illness is progressive and his parents have sadly had to watch him lose many basic skills, such as holding up his head, sitting up, and swallowing food. His breathing is becoming very compromised and his family has started to see a hospice/palliative team to deal with his increased pain and end of life issues. 

Please donate, big or small, it all helps! Also send love and prayers thier way!!



     Niko was born February 8th 2010 with no complications. By the time Niko was 6 months, it was becoming apparent that he was behind on his milestones. By 9 months, he began special education services and was referred to Gillette Children’s Hospital to look into his developmental delays. Over the past few years, Niko has seen countless Specialists, with many tests, therapies, and possible diagnoses. However, symptoms kept seriously progressing.


     By age 5, Niko was finally diagnosed. Sadly it was not the news the family and doctors were hoping for. Niko has a Mitochondrial Complex 1 Deficiency in the mutation of the UFAI gene, this is a rarely seen situation with only 6 known patients that have has this particular mutation. Unfortunately, this mutation causes severe developmental delay and progressive symptoms that lead to a shortened lifespan. Niko is manifesting severe incurable epilepsy with his brain in constant seizure mode. They are exhausting all means to combat this, but so far with no success. Niko's lungs are struggling; making Niko tired just trying to breathe. They have several machines in their home trying to ease his struggle! Since our mitochondria provide energy to our cells to make our organs function, Niko's family is on constant alert to make sure his heart, kidneys, liver, etc. are functioning. His brain and lungs are already struggling to function. Niko is losing the strength to fight, leaving his family facing the sad possibility of what is to come.



    His family has exhausted all their financial means and our hope is to help with medical and end of life costs.



    Again, Please help in any way you can, big or small, it all helps and is deeply appreciated! 

              
Thank you so much and God bless!