Organiser's profile

My name is Anna Kalicka.Me and my 14 old son Kacper suffer on rare brain and spine desease - Chiari Malformation. Our story started 8 years ago when we had a car accident. These time completely changed our live. Beside having post accidental injuries we got unexplained sympthoms like debilitating headaches, dizziness, numbness and a lot of problems with spine. I developed left side paresis, son rapidly progressive scoliosis. It took doctors 5 years to find diagnosis of Chiari Malformation and instability of cervical spine. Part of our brain, cerebellum is continuously slidding down into the spinal canal,pushing medulla. I have problems with swallowing, vision and breathing. In 2013 I was operated because I had pressed spinal cord. We both should have another surgery but in Poland it is impossible. The only way to stop our progressive desease is filum terminale surgery in Barcelona. The problem for us is money. The cost of surgery for one is about 20000$. My son is only 14 and my biggest dream is not to allow that desease took him self - reliance and live. We hope that after surgery our pain finally become smaller. Finally I would like to say big thank you for your help.