The power to move forward

In a village in Tulcea County, a ten-year-old boy learns every day what it means to never give up. From the age of a few months, Eric has faced several conditions that have turned his life into a struggle. He was born prematurely, with hypoxia, his body not receiving enough oxygen. Complications at birth later led to a difficult diagnosis: cerebral palsy and spastic tetraparesis. 

His mother recalls: "At four months, we went to the pediatrician for the first time. He had contractures in his hands and feet and had difficulty moving. Then we went to a neurologist, and that's where the long road to recovery began." 

Eric was unable to move at all until he was two years old. He has had two operations and is now preparing for a third, a complex muscle surgery. Each operation is followed by months of complex therapy. With a lot of effort and patience, Eric has begun to make progress: first 200 meters, then 300, and now he can walk almost a kilometer, with support, without stopping.  

Although his body limits him, Eric's mind goes far. He speaks English fluently, makes YouTube videos, and dreams of creating gaming content. He collects stuffed animals, loves cars, and wants to visit America someday. 

At school, he is integrated into a mass classroom with an adapted curriculum. He has difficulty getting around, so his mother accompanies him every day. When she can't, his grandparents help him. "We've learned to be both doctors and parents," she says. 

Eric needs a personalized intervention plan and ongoing counseling to maintain his progress. His mother is also his personal assistant. "Will you hold me one day when I'm old?" she asks him with a smile. "Hold my hand like this?"

In the community, support also comes from the social worker, who knows every family and every story. "The social worker in rural communities makes a real difference. They know every face, every family, every child," says one of the assistants. 

The information and guidance provided by the social worker are essential for Eric to have access to the treatments, therapies, and education he needs.