According to a story from spectrumnews1.com, three year old Israel Bombela has endured many health challenges in his short life so far. The youngster went through a bout of COVID-19 earlier this year, and he was also born with Dravet syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that causes frequent epileptic seizures. However, the boy’s family have a lot of faith in him. His ten year old sister Leillany had this to say:
“My brother is brave, wild, strong, and he fights.”
The Bombela family are raising money so that Israel can be accompanied by a seizure dog. These dogs are trained to detect seizures before they begin and can help keep Israel and the family prepared. In fact, having a seizure dog could be the difference between life and death.
About Dravet Syndrome
Dravet syndrome is a form of severe epilepsy that usually begins by the sixth month of life. The disease is most characterized by frequent seizures that are sometimes triggered by fever or hot temperatures. In most cases, the syndrome is caused by mutations of the SCN1A gene. Most of the time, these mutations are not heritable and appear spontaneously. The predominant symptom of Dravet syndrome is seizures; varying types of seizures often occur as the disorder progresses, as well as ataxia, developmental delays, behavioral disorders that may resemble autism, and cognitive impairment. Seizures can be potentially lethal. Management strategies for Dravet syndrome may include a ketogenic diet, anticonvulsant medications, cognitive rehabilitation therapy, and cannabidiol. This rare disorder is estimated to appear anywhere from 1 in every 20,000 to 1 in every 40,000 births. To learn more about Dravet syndrome, click here.
Israel’s Story
Israel’s mother Nereyda said that he first had a seizure at six months old, and she thought that he was going to die. Unfortunately, the family believes that his infection with COVID-19 has made the seizures even worse. The family have set up a GoFundMe so that Israel can get his therapy dog for Christmas.
“If it is a boy we will call him ‘Warrior,’ because that’s what they call Dravet kids,” Nereyda said.
If you are interested in helping the Bombela family, click here.
