Elisa Menendez
TWINS Erik and Alexia are off to France to meet one of the world’s leading eye specialists in a bid to save their sight.
It comes after the Olive Press launched an appeal to help cover the medical costs of the four-year-olds who are going blind due to a rare form of retinal dystrophy.
They urgently need more tests to determine if their deteriorating vision can be treated but the genetic tests are financially crippling the Torremolinos-based family.
Mum Fabiola told the paper how the family are heading to Paris on January 31 for the greatly-anticipated assessment with Pittsburgh University eye specialist and Legion of Honour winner, Jose Alain Sahel.
They will visit one of the oldest eye hospitals in Europe, the Quinze-Vingts, where they hope to finally get some answers.
“I just can’t believe it. I am so happy this doctor has accepted to see us, he is apparently one of the best in the world. I have a lot of hope.
“Until we have a diagnosis and a treatment I am not going to stop,” added the Liverpudlian-Andalucian mum-of-two.
Doctors warned it would take more than two years to test Erik’s sight and identify the gene, before testing Alexia’s which could take another two, on the public healthcare system.
Due to the rarity of the disease it requires a team of specialists to analyse the results in Madrid.
But their eyesight is deteriorating so rapidly, they could go blind in that time and the parents have had no other option than to go private.
After three rounds of medical tests costing €3,000 per child, doctors are still unable to identify the gene, meaning they cannot diagnose the severity, nor advise on treatment.
So far the appeal has raised almost €2,000 but they need more help.
“I can’t say thank you enough to the Olive Press and everyone who has donated, there are so many kind-hearted people out there,” said Fabiola.
To donate visit: www.gofundme.com/twins-4-losing-sight-need-urgent-help-for-tests
