Dmitry
Lazarenko

Dima has lived his entire life in a world with almost no sound. Due to a rare genetic disorder, the.

Dima was born in February 2020 with a deletion on the long arm of the 18th chromosome. One of the severe manifestations of his illness was congenital bilateral atresia of the ear canals: the auricles were formed, but there were no ear canals, and sound could not find its way inside. The boy did not pass the hearing screening in the maternity hospital – he has been deaf since the first days of his life. Doctors diagnosed him with grade IV conductive hearing loss, the most severe form of the disease, and he experiences significant speech development delay: it is difficult for Dima to learn to speak because he can hardly hear how words sound.

Dima has been wearing bone conduction devices since he was a year and a half old, but they are only a temporary support and cannot provide true hearing.

With each month, the situation becomes more alarming. The boy is growing, his skull bones are thickening, his hearing is worsening, and sooner or later the hearing aids will stop helping altogether. Doctors warn that if the surgery is not performed now, the auditory nerve will die, and there will be permanent silence. But there is a chance to stop this in time.

Parents searched for a long time for a doctor willing to take on such a complex case, but they couldn't help Dima at home. Then the family turned to the California Ear Institute in the USA – one of the world's leading centers for treating such pathologies. Specialists confirmed: the boy could be helped, and the prospects for hearing restoration were rated at 9 out of 10.

American otosurgeon Joseph Roberson, who has performed many corrective surgeries for congenital ear atresia, is ready to help Dima. The treatment will be staged – first, doctors will focus on Dima's right ear, which will allow him to start hearing on his own.

The mother has not worked since her son was born, dedicating all her strength and time to caring for him and his sister. The father.

The foundation responded to help the family with the partial collection for the operation 10 000 €.

Let's change Dima's life together!