Marina Stepanenko

History and appeal from the words of the mother:

“ Marina Stepanenko, born in 2012, was born a normal healthy child, with a slight physical lag behind her peers.

At the age of about 2 years, after a routine DPT vaccination, Marina suddenly experienced a sharp regression in her development. I noticed that she had lost her existing speech, her self-care skills had disappeared, her hand coordination was impaired, and her gait had become unsteady. Gradually, characteristic symptoms appeared—muscle weakness, difficulty with fine motor skills, and general fatigue during prolonged walking.

Over the next three years, we constantly searched for the cause of the changes in Marina's development. The diagnosis was difficult: examinations by various specialists did not yield accurate results, and doctors only noted developmental delays but were unable to make a clear diagnosis. This period was filled with both hope and helplessness — each new examination brought either new hope or disappointment.

Only after genetic testing was done did the situation become clear: Marina was diagnosed with Rett syndrome, a rare neurological disorder characterized by progressive loss of motor and speech skills, impaired coordination and balance, muscle hypotonia, scoliosis, epilepsy, and problems with breathing and autonomic regulation. The diagnosis allowed us to begin targeted work and develop a rehabilitation plan, although it also marked a new stage in accepting and understanding the peculiarities of Marina's future life.

Marina's rehabilitation is carried out according to an individualized and comprehensive program, which includes:

Rehabilitation courses are held periodically, approximately 3–4 times a year, depending on our financial and organizational capabilities. I am a single parent and live with my retired parents, who help me take care of Marina and my two younger children. Thanks to systematic rehabilitation, Marina maintains and develops her motor skills, improves her coordination and quality of life, despite the progressive nature of her disease.

In September 2025, Marina underwent Achilles tendon surgery on both legs so that she could stand on her feet and slow down the rapid development of scoliosis, which had increased from 32 to 46 degrees over the past year. She is currently recovering and undergoing rehabilitation.

We will be sincerely grateful to your charitable foundation and each of its volunteers, who are part of the chain of kindness, for helping my daughter. Your help is not just help, it is a step towards the future, it is a chance for a better life, it is support that gives strength to fight on. ”

At the moment, she needs a course of rehabilitation at the Kozijavkin International Rehabilitation Clinic for a total amount of 28,048 UAH.

LET'S CREATE GOOD TOGETHER!!!