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A GoFundMe campaign has been launched for 7-year-old Autumn Ajcuc, a Shoreham resident facing am arduous battle with a rare condition called bilateral moyamoya disease.
Family friends Diane and Donna Marzec organized the fundraiser, which has raised over $11,500 to help ensure the young girl receives the care and resources necessary for her recovery.
Autumn’s condition affects blood vessels in her brain. She experienced several debilitating strokes after undergoing surgery that was intended to improve blood flow and prevent stokes.
The once-vibrant girl — a dancer who performed at her dance school’s winter showcase in January and spring recital in June — now struggles with speech, mobility and emotional expression, requiring long-term rehabilitation and constant care.
“It truly is a heartbreaking story,” Diane Marzec told Greater Long Island.
Autumn’s mother, Yesenia “Jessy” Alas Ramos, has taken a leave of absence from her job to become her full-time caregiver, which leaves Autumn’s dad, Rogelio Ajcuc, as the family’s sole provider, according to the GoFundMe post.
“They are doing everything they can to give Autumn the best chance at recovery, but they need help providing the necessary care and accommodations,” the Marzecs said in a letter on the GoFundMe page for Autumn and her family. “Autumn’s parents are hopeful for the day Autumn can come home but managing the stairs of their rented apartment will be incredibly challenging.”
Along with the medical challenges, the family must relocate to a single-level home that can better accommodate Autumn’s needs, including accessibility equipment for her mobility and daily activities, as well as buy a car that can transport her.
It is the Marzecs hope that the GoFundMe effort can help offset some of the mounting medical and living expenses that the family is facing.
