Adelin wants to walk. You can help him.
For Adelin, a five-year-old boy from Tulcea, every step is a struggle. But now, he needs support.
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One Sunday morning, Adriana woke up overcome with a feeling of unease: her water had broken, even though she was only six months pregnant. Her heart was overwhelmed with fear, but the next day, at the hospital in Constanta, Adelin was born. A tiny, delicate soul, but so strong, ready to face any challenge.
The first few months flew by with hope, and every gram Adelin gained was a small victory. "We didn't have any problems, he gained weight...", Adriana recalls. But at the age of two, their world slowly began to collapse. The little boy couldn't walk. It was an amalgam of fear and uncertainty, magnified by the pandemic that threatened the lives of those vulnerable like Adelin. Adriana chose to wait, for fear of losing her little one.
But, after a while, mustering up the courage, Adriana took Adelin to a specialist in Galati, and there, she found out the news that hung heavy on the mother's shoulders: Adelin was diagnosed with spastic paraparesis. In a trembling voice, she recalls the doctor's words: "He told me that he was a child with problems, that he wouldn't walk... And since then we've been running from hospital to hospital". It was the beginning of a new chapter in their battle, one filled with surgeries, therapies and long trips to Galati, Bucharest and Techirghiol.
A 5-year-old child, a hero in his fight
Following a difficult surgery to lengthen his tendons, Adelin spent a month in a cast. When the cast was removed, Adelin needed a special medical device that the family bought for him, sacrificing everything they could to give their son the chance to take, at least one day, the first step. The special medical device became his new ally on the road to normality. But even with this help, the nights spent in hospitals are hard. Adelin, a little boy who should be cheerful and playing, cries every night and says with teary eyes: "I want to go home...". His pain is unimaginable, but the parents know they can't give up. Not now, after so much sacrifice. There is hope.
The first time they went to the Techirghiol Spa and Rehabilitation Center, it was like a dream come true. "He climbed into the bed by himself... [The doctor] told me he's going to walk, he doesn't know when, but he's going to walk." Now, Adelin is able to crawl, sit and, with the help of the special device, walk a few steps.
"We hope we will be able to walk. That's what we want the most... Maybe not 100%, but at least a few percent..."
"He needs a lot of kinetotherapy, a lot," says Adriana in a longing voice. She has learned some exercises and she is practicing them at home with Adelin, trying to give him all she can. She also takes him to kindergarten, now with a wheelchair received from the social worker. Before that, she carried him in her arms, three kilometers one way and three kilometers back, every day. "It was hard, even in winter, being dressed with the thick jacket, but what could I do? That's how I struggled, and that's how I took him to kindergarten, for him to learn something."
Adelin is quiet, more reserved than the other children, but he brightens up every room with his generous smile. Whenever he goes to kindergarten, he always looks for his friend. "Is the girl in kindergarten?" he asks eagerly. He pays attention to details, especially to his mom. "Why are you doing that?" he asks her. "He says I cry. I say, 'I'm not crying, I've got a runny nose...’ He's very clever. He's our jewel."
With every effort, Adelin is one step closer to achieving his dream
Adriana cries for many reasons. Because of joy, when Adelin laughs and asks to go to the playground or kindergarten. Out of fear, because she knows that his progress is fragile, and if they don't go to therapies on time, everything could be lost.
"As a parent it's really hard when you see other kids walking and ours isn't.... We've been all over the place, to make it right, get him to walk. A lot has improved, a huge amount, but we still have work to do. Hopefully slowly, slowly, maybe we will succeed someday. With God's help."
But the journey is long and expensive. Access to the therapies, devices and specialized consultations Adelin needs are a financial burden for his family. Social workers have been a vital support, showing them the way to get help to cover some of the costs. They have helped them to get access to all the facilities that Adelin and his family can benefit from, such as free accommodation and meals when they go to recovery sessions. But many needs remain uncovered.
UNICEF in Adelin's life
UNICEF works to contribute to the social inclusion of all children and adolescents, especially the most vulnerable ones.
UNICEF promotes the role of social workers in supporting and guiding children and families with special needs, so that they receive the care they are entitled to, as well as to have the chance to progress, reach their potential and live a better life.
The role of social workers is to support children and their families in accessing quality services such as physiotherapy, counseling, medical services, speech therapy, etc., so necessary for their recovery and development. The support and intervention of social workers in children's lives encourages and promotes an inclusive social system that leaves no one behind.
Help Adelin and other children like him live a better life!
