Aid campaign for 4-year-old Eymen with DMD is progressing slowly

Eymen, the only child of Özlem and Emre Altaş couple living in the city, had high blood values ​​in the hospital where he went for flu when he was 9 months old. As a result of the tests, Eymen Altaş was diagnosed with DMD when he was only 2 years old. The family launched a governorship-approved campaign for the second time for the disease, which has no cure in Türkiye. Altaş receives physical therapy 2 days a week. Approximately 357 thousand dollars of the 3 million dollars required for Eymen Altaş's gene therapy could be collected in 14 months. Eymen's campaign has reached 12 percent so far.

'WE CANNOT MAKE OUR VOICES HEARD'

Emphasizing that their campaign is not progressing, mother Özlem Altaş said, "Our campaign is a 14-month campaign. We are on our 2nd governor's leave. Our campaign is at the level of 12 percent. Although it is a 14-month campaign, unfortunately it is progressing very slowly. The disease was diagnosed in routine blood tests. He was diagnosed at the age of 2. Eymen is now 4 years old. My son has been struggling with this disease for about 2 years. We go to physical therapy 2 days a week and he receives cortisone treatment. Apart from that, what we can do here is "Unfortunately, we are having a hard time because our campaign is not progressing. They may think that my son is fine because he can walk now, but his muscles are wasting day by day. Eymen does not want to walk or run because his peers run too fast and he falls down very quickly."

'I DON'T WANT HIM TO SPEND HIS CHILDHOOD IN HOSPITAL ROOMS'

Stating that she wants her son to run like his peers, Altaş said, "Unfortunately, Eymen is aware of his illness. He says 'My legs hurt, I can't run, I can't walk fast' and we can't say anything to him at that moment. I don't want my son to spend his childhood in hospital rooms. I want him to run, play, laugh and go to school like his peers. As a mother, I feel very helpless to be able to explain these things to my child in the future. Our 2nd governor's leave is about to end." "We have 10 months left. Approximately 17.5 million have been collected and we need 136 million in total. Our campaign ends today with 250 TL for 460 thousand people. Unfortunately, he gets tired very quickly when sitting, standing, walking and running. If the disease progresses, his heart muscles and respiratory muscles will also be damaged."

'THE MUSCLES ARE MELTING DAY BY DAY'

Emphasizing that they want to get the necessary medicine as soon as possible, Özlem Altaş said:

"That's why I want support. I want my child to be a healthy individual. I want him to run, play, go to school like his peers, and have a normal life. I don't want much. I just want to get my child to his medicine, and then raise my child in my arms, safe and sound. If Eymen gets better in the future, if he gets his medicine and treatment, I want to spend time with him to the fullest for a day; to run and play with him, to wake up fearlessly and love my child." "I want it. We are racing against time. My son's muscles are wasting day by day. My campaign is not progressing, but unfortunately the disease in Eymen's body is progressing just as quickly. We don't have time, so now is the time to support him."