Cape Town - The operation that little Elijah needs is his only hope for a normal life.
But standing between the three-year-old boy and this life surgery is lack of funding.
The family of the wheelchair-bound boy has now made an impassioned plea for donations after Elijah was diagnosed with the rare disease called Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM) in August last year.
This led to a sudden paralysis from his waist down.
His mother Courtney Matthei said: “Our loving, energetic boy who impacted so many lives with his love, had his entire life changed in a matter of days. He has undergone numerous procedures (tracheostomy, bronchoscopy, plasma transfusions, gastrointestinal tube feeding) and tests while being hospitalised (MRI, CT Scan, Lumbar Puncture).”
The family are aiming to raise R500 000 via a number of donation platforms.
“Throughout his ordeal, Elijah kept his cheerful spirit and loving attitude. Despite Elijah's positive demeanour, life's trial has not been easy for us. Elijah's recovery journey is of great length and with low chances of a full recovery. He is currently on a stringent rehabilitation schedule, which already has a significant financial cost implication with around-the-clock skilled care, specialised equipment, treatments and transportation,” said Matthei.
The family said they have, “been fortunate to find hope in the medical expertise of Dr Amy M Moore, MD, a resident doctor at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Centre.
Dr Moore specialises in peripheral nerve surgery for acquired nerve injuries and peripheral neuropathies of the upper and lower extremities”.
Matthei said: “The operation that Elijah needs is his only hope for a normal life. It's heartbreaking to think that without it, he may never be able to run around and play with his friends like other children his age. Unfortunately, the medical expenses associated with our son's condition have been overwhelming, and we are struggling to cover the costs for this operation and even for the trip from Cape Town to the USA.
“As a parent, you would do anything to make your child happy and healthy. It's an incredibly difficult and emotional time, and we need all the support we can get. Please consider supporting Elijah's campaign, as every little bit helps in his journey towards potentially walking again. Your generosity could make all the difference in the world to our amazing little boy.”
If you would like to assist visit: https://www.backabuddy.co.za/champion/project/elijah-cottle or https://www.instagram.com/elijah.cottle/
Cape Times