Matvey was born prematurely, the first of twins. Despite spending several months in the hospital, at home he amazed everyone with his activity: he held his head up confidently, studied faces, reached for toys, and even outpaced his twin brother in development. He laughed loudly, was getting ready to crawl, and ate well.
At the end of July, everything changed. The first seizure was mistaken for a fright, but soon they became more frequent. Matvey stopped doing everything he had learned. His smile and laughter disappeared. He would lie for hours, staring into space, while the family stayed awake at night, afraid of another seizure.
At 9 months, he was diagnosed with epilepsy. It took months to find the right therapy and stop the seizures. Now every smile and laugh from Matvey is a true celebration. But the disease has already taken away what matters most: he cannot sit, crawl, stand, or walk. He is only just learning to reach for toys.
Doctors are convinced that to continue the fight, the cause of the disease must be understood. Matvey urgently needs to undergo whole exome sequencing. This genetic key will unlock the path to effective therapy and a chance to catch up with his brother in development.
