the essential
“Step by step with Maëlya” is the name of the association that the parents of this 3-year-old girl, born prematurely with motor after-effects, have just created in Tarn-et-Garonne. Laurie and William are hopeful that their child will be able to walk one day provided she can benefit from regular intensive rehabilitation. But the closest specialist cerebral palsy center to their home is in Barcelona, Spain. A solidarity fundraiser has been launched.
This is the story of Maëlya, an adorable 3-year-old girl of whom her parents are very proud. Laurie and William’s happiness would be complete if their child were in perfect health. But, since her birth, the little one has suffered from periventricular leukomalacia, a rare disease of premature babies more commonly called cerebral palsy.
“Maëlya’s birth was planned for March 2021 but this little bitch decided to arrive in the world on December 15, 2020,” says her mother. From birth, the baby is cared for in neonatology to treat hyaline membrane disease, respiratory distress syndrome triggered by lung deficiency, with pulmonary hemorrhage.
“Maëlya was taken directly to intensive care and she remained hospitalized for 2 and a half months. Following this, the doctors decided to do a transfontanellar ultrasound which suggested periventricular leukomalacia. This diagnosis of cerebral palsy was confirmed by an MRI at three months of life.” On that day, doctors tell parents that there is a risk that their child will not be able to walk.
The start of a fight for this couple who live in La Ville-Dieu-du-Temple, in Tarn-et-Garonne. Maëlya is now 3 years old. “She has been going to school since September, but only in the morning. She benefits from a school assistant. Maëlya is very happy to be with children her age.”
She had 4 hours of physiotherapy per day. This intensive rehabilitation was very beneficial to him on all motor levels. Today, she moves around in a walker and stands upright with support.
Since she was 3 months old, the little girl has received weekly treatments to help with stimulation. The progress is real, especially since a stay in a rehabilitation center located in Barcelona, Spain. “We couldn’t find anything closer to home. In this center there is a team specializing in the treatment of cerebral palsy. It is thanks to the Sourire d’enfant association, which financed the course, that we were able to bring Maëlya there for a dozen days, last February. She had 4 hours of physiotherapy per day. This intensive rehabilitation was very beneficial to her in all aspects. Today, she gets around in a walker. stands up with support”, testifies Laurie Carbonnel.
She and her husband cling to this hope: “She will walk, we were told, but we don’t know how she will walk.”
Her parents are convinced: their daughter’s salvation requires stays at the Método Essentis center in Barcelona, and they are ready to make a lot of sacrifices for the good of Maëlya. “I stopped working to take care of her full time. My husband works but he took unpaid leave in February. Each internship costs 2,119 euros. We would like to bring her back there in the month of October, so we had the idea of creating an association to raise awareness of this disease and also to launch an appeal for generosity. If partners want to support us, they will be welcome. From the intonation of her voice, we can hear the young mother’s determination: “We have to be optimistic, we will get there.”
