Living with Trisomy 13 in Uruguay



Living with Trisomy 13 in Uruguay

Trisomy 13 has been said to be incompatible with life, but Thiago is defying the odds. His home country of Uruguay has few children with trisomy 13 and no specialists to treat his rare condition, so he must travel abroad for specialized care.

Thiago's medical journey, from Uruguay to Utah:

Before Thiago was born, his parents were told he would not live. Rather than terminate the pregnancy, they left the matter in God's hands. Today, Thiago is one of the less than 10% of kids with his condition that make it past 1 year of life. Thiago has the added challenge of living in Uruguay where there are few resources for treating children with his condition. He has traveled several times to Chile to receive physical therapy, but now needs to travel to Salt Lake City, Utah to see doctors and other professionals that specialize in caring for children with Trisomy 13. Those that have helped and cared for Thiago have come to find that he has a way of giving back more than he receives.

Would you like to help Thiago? You can probably imagine that it is very expensive to travel to a foreign country to see specialists that aren't covered under your insurance. We are looking for your help to make sure Thiago can make it there, and make the most of his trip. Stay tuned here and on Thiago's Facebook page for fundraising offers, updates and ways to help, or simply donate now, by clicking the button below. All donations are deposited to the Mountain American Credit Union account #966 5337, which has set up for Thiago's medical costs:

















Sunday, August 15, 2010

The Early Years

Until Thiago was 2 & 1/2 years old, he had a feeding tube in place. This was very uncomfortable for Thiago, since the tube had to enter his mouth and reach down to his stomach. He grew, but his developmental steps came very slowly. Thiago is very loving person. In the beginning, he didn't move a lot, but once he learned to move his hands, the first thing he does when someone approaches is to reach out for a hug.