My name is Irina Teşcureanu, a girl of 27 years old, born on April 27, 1987 in the village of Chetriş, Făleşti district, Moldova.

Until 2004 I was a very active child; I ran, jumped, danced, did theatre, I was always involved in all school activities and also other activities.

The misfortune came eight years ago, since then I am prisoner of a disease that even today I don’t know how to call it. After countless enquiries made at clinics and hospitals in Chisinau, I haven’t a fixed diagnosis. Almost every time  they keep giving me a new diagnosis. For 4 years already I can’t go by myself alone, I always need an arm to support me. Lately, the events have gone downhill with breakneck speed. With each new diagnosis the doctors prescribe me a large number of medications, but almost every time after treatment I feel weaker, like the drugs had an adverse effect. For this reason, often I gave up on the drugs in the middle of treatment.

I’ll make a short reference to my problem;

In 2003 I was diagnosed with scoliosis, the third / fourth degree.

The doctors had recommended to do surgery to correct the position of my spine, but I refused because of the lack of financial resources and because of the high degree of risk. After two years I felt a slight loss of balance. At first, the doctors told me that this feeling of disequilibrium is caused by scoliosis, but later, another orthopedic doctor told me I should go to a neurologist. In 2008, I visited a neurologist for the first time, here they told me, that probabily I suffer from a brain tumor. That doctor redirected me to the Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery at Chisinau. Here the doctors diagnosed me with cerebrospinal sclerosis in plaque defined by moderate tetraparesis and dysarthria, and cerebellar disorders. Then the blame went to disorders with the limbs wasting, predominantly in feet, balance disorders. Later, at the Emergency Hospital in Chisinau, my diagnosis changed to Spino – Cerebellar ataxia, with cerebellar syndrome. Then, at the National Genetics Centre in collaboration with the Center of Mother and Child my diagnosis changed again.

For some time I realized that the chances of success in our country were almost minimal. Then after numerous searches, often useless, I ended up getting consulted by a doctor from Belgium with Moldovan origins, Dr. Jaques Brotchi, he redirected me to Dr. Massimo Pandolfo who was based in Brussels. I was suspected of having Friedreich’s ataxia, but to determine the precise diagnosis it required a genetic screening test for Friedreich’s ataxia, which was not done in Moldova. On July 8, I was scheduled to take the test at Erasme Hospital in Brussels and luckily for me, I had to pay just for the travel costs, accommodation and meals for at least a week. The test cost is borne by the foundation allocating funds for the study of Friedreich’s ataxia.

This is a new door for my release from this captivity, towards an independent life, towards to the realization of my dreams …

My problem is that the disability allowance, is just 740 lei per month (almost 40 euro), I cannot afford to make such expenditures, especially since my parents are pensioners, and I rent an apartment in Chisinau.

I am living with my older sister and her family and to cover expenses, she doesn’t take maternity leave, but she went back to work. Now I babysit with her daughter of only 2 years and we basically nurse each other, she already knows that her aunt is not well, that she feels that her feet and back is sore and that she needs help.

I didn’t go out very often, but when I do I am always followed by the scornful eyes of some people, looks awakened me to lots of complexities. Sometimes I heard lines like: “So young and drunk …” “drunken from morning …” this was due to disequilibrium, and many others that I don’t want to remember. I cannot afford to judge these people, I am not upset by them …because of them I became stronger, more optimistic and more confident.

I thank God for all the people who love me, for all the people I have met, for all the people with big hearts. I owe them the smile on my lips and the joy of living, because they learnt me to love life and accept it as it is, and do not forget to dream, to believe … I can win, I will win …

Donations for financial aid can be made on accounts opened at VICTORIABANK, Branch 17, Agency 70:

(EURO) MD89VI000000022333179978
(DOLARI, $) MD66VI000000022334179977
(LEI, MDL) 22335179976

Contact:

e-mail – irinatescureanu@yahoo.com

facebook – Irina Teșcureanu

skype – irina.t3

tel – (+373)69570477