Arina's story - a fight for a chance to stand up

Helping Arina is a story of true hope, when life turns around in one day. Good afternoon, We would like to share the story of our little daughter. Arina was born perfectly healthy, together with her twin sister. From the very first days she was a happy, lively, life-loving girl. But everything changed when she had a stroke when she was just a year and a half old. It was caused by a simple herpes virus. By the time the exact diagnosis was made, the virus had already severely damaged her brain. Arina faced a battle that no one expected. She lost the ability to walk, to speak, to eat by herself. Part of her skull was removed. Her parents heard the questions: will she survive? But Arina chose to live. She is strong. She has overcome what many call the impossible. Today Arina:

• chews food independently,
• retains its head,
• sit better,
• reacts to the environment, takes an interest in films.

This is thanks to daily rehabilitation. Diagnoses that we have to overcome again and again:

• Epilepsy (focal, partial),
• Spastic tetraplegia,
• Encephalitis caused by Herpes virus,
• Cerebral oedema, bleeding, swallowing problems,
• Gastrostomy care,
• Hip dislocation, recently diagnosed.

The latter is today's pain. Without surgery, all the rehabilitation we have done so far is meaningless. It is said that Arina will never walk without it. In Lithuania, nobody dares to perform such an operation. The only option - European Paley Institute in Warsaw, where both surgery and rehabilitation are performed. But the cost is high - 30 000 euros. My husband and I have already sold our house. We have spent all our savings on our daughter's treatment. We do sports every day with the help of the Mothers' Union just to ease her pain. Help Arina today - so that one day she can stand on her own.

Our sincere thanks to everyone who helps.

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