Thanks to you and Advent running 2024, we will help another 12 heroes. Meet Kubíček
12. 02. 2025
Kubíček was born a few days before Christmas, arriving a month early—perhaps eager to meet Ježíšek. In his first weeks, he cried constantly. As time went on, his parents noticed that he was not reacting much and was not making developmental progress. They visited several specialists, and Kuba was given glasses and started rehabilitation.
At one year old, their hard work paid off—until then, Kuba had only been a lying, murmuring baby, but for the first time, he rolled onto his tummy! However, the joy was accompanied by a difficult diagnosis: cerebral palsy. That summer, Kuba went to a spa for the first time and was thrilled to be in the pool.
After his second birthday, genetic testing revealed that Kuba has Angelman syndrome, a condition often called the “angel children” disease, which is associated with developmental delays and severe intellectual disability. His parents work with him daily, taking him to occupational therapy, speech therapy, and hippotherapy (which he doesn’t love, but it helps strengthen his core). He absolutely loves water—he could stay in a pool all day.
Kubíček is slowly improving in movement. Now, at five years old, he can walk around furniture and pull himself up to stand. However, his growing size puts strain on his legs—his ankles collapse, and his feet turn inward. He also has shortened Achilles tendons. While he wears orthotics from the Czech Republic, they are not sufficient to prevent further deterioration or, ideally, to help him improve.
Communication is also a challenge. Kubík does not speak, point, or express his needs, so his caregivers must anticipate everything for him. Despite these obstacles, he is a cheerful little angel. His younger sister has already surpassed him, running circles around him, and Kuba often tries to crawl after her.
How will Advent runners help Kubíček?
We will cover the cost of specialized Pohlig orthotics to help him get closer to independent walking—giving him more confidence, improving his stability, and preventing further foot deformities.