Ziedot.lv seeks €60,000 for Jelgava girl’s treatment

Latvian charity Ziedot.lv is asking the public to continue supporting Olīvija, a girl from Jelgava, as more than €60,000 is still needed for the first six months of her treatment, LSM reports. The total cost for that period is €240,000.

Olīvija is the only child in Latvia with a rare genetic disease that is progressing rapidly. She has lost the ability to speak, struggles to climb stairs and is losing her balance. Treatment needs to begin as soon as possible to slow the disease, but the medicine is very expensive.

The state has granted €30,000 through an individual compensation scheme, but further public donations are still needed. Talks have also begun with the medicine’s manufacturer to secure more favourable purchasing terms and faster delivery to Latvia.

Ziedot.lv head Rūta Dimanta said she hoped the state would cover the costs in future. Fundraising is currently intended to provide medicine for six months, giving time to arrange ongoing state funding.

Olīvija needs medicine delivered through a special system implanted in her head for the rest of her life to prevent blindness and paralysis. The cost is beyond what her family can afford.