Help Teresa
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| Teresa Villalpando is a 1 year old child that has been diagnosed with Sandhoff Disease; doctors have predicted that she has 6 months to live. Teresa is so very beautiful in all her ways. She has the brightest smile anyone has ever seen. She is always happy and content and oh so forgiving. The doctors often refer to her as “such a brave little girl." She has much to teach to people about life lessons. When our hard journey began, Teresa was almost 3 months old. We started to notice problems when she would get a cold, which quickly turned into choking spells. We had never seen this before - my baby turning blue, then purple. Weeks with no sleep soon turned into months, hospital after hospital telling me it was just a cold and that she would be better soon. Cat scans, M.R.I.'s, echoes, bronchoscopes and blood work after blood work. Three months later, she can’t hold her head up. All they could say was "she’ll be fine." Four months later, she can’t sit anymore. Slowly the bigger picture started coming together. My baby is sick, there is no treatment. Such a rare disease, the doctors here have never seen it. Sandhoff disease is a type of metabolic disorder that causes progressive deterioration of nerve cells in the central nervous system, because this affects the brain and spinal cord, development slows and muscles weaken. Infants lose the ability to crawl, sit and roll over. They also develop cherry spots in the retina, eventually leading to blindness. Mental retardation and seizures are also to be expected, as well as paralysis. There is no treatment at this time for this disease. Most children with Sandhoff die by the age of 3, Teresita will not be that fortunate for the doctors have limited her time to 6 months. About the family Liahla, mom, is 27 and has the heart of steel. She is very strong and very motivated. She has taken this situation and is changing the world around her. Teresa has 5 brothers and sisters. Adrian is 9 years old and has taken over the role of the gentlemen, he helps mom do things like start the dryer, clean noses, pour juice among the many others. Vanessa is 6 and Promise is 5, they’re the little ladies of the house, girly as can be with dresses and the hair ties. Jesus, 3 and Aries, 2 are the babies along with Tere, for the most they stay entertained playing toys and watching movies. |
To get more information about Sandhoff disease or more diseases like it, visit www.ntsd.org. To dontae visit any Washington Mutual or WAMU mention account #035;035;9400922054 or Liahla Roberts-Valdez, Teresa Villalpando, or "Help Teresa" campaign. |