You already know Mikayel. Thanks to your support, we were able to provide him with medication for six months, and we are continuing this fundraiser to help secure a full year of treatment for him.

This smiling little boy recently turned one. Mikayel is a calm, cheerful child who loves playing with others and enjoys physical activity.

When he was 5 months old, his parents noticed that his legs seemed weak and that he could not support himself on them. Genetic testing later confirmed a serious diagnosis: spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), type 1.

This disease causes progressive muscle weakness and atrophy. Without proper treatment, it can affect not only a child’s mobility, but also lead to breathing problems, swallowing difficulties, orthopedic complications, and other life-threatening conditions.

Thankfully, modern treatments now exist that can change the course of the disease. One of the most accessible is Evrysdi (Risdiplam), a treatment with gene-targeted action that can significantly slow disease progression and help preserve a child’s motor and respiratory functions, if treatment begins on time and continues without interruption.

But this vital medication is expensive and is still not available in Armenia. It has to be obtained from abroad with great difficulty. At the same time, Health Fund for Children of Armenia is working closely with the Ministry of Health to help make the medication available in Armenia in the near future.

At the moment, Mikayel’s monthly dose costs 304,000 AMD. The dosage changes as he gains weight. To provide him with another six months of medication, 1,824,000 AMD is needed.

Every contribution matters deeply for this little boy. With your help, Mikayel will have the chance to continue receiving the treatment he needs and keep fighting this disease.