Heartbroken parents start GoFundMe appeal for their baby who was born without eyes
Fourteen-month-old Elijah Davies, from Seacombe, Merseyside, suffers from a rare condition called Anophthalmia - a disorder where one or both eyes are missing
A GOFUNDME campaign has been launched in the aim of supporting a little boy who was born without both eyes.
Fourteen-month-old Elijah Davies, from Seacombe, Merseyside, suffers from a rare condition called Anophthalmia - a disorder where one or both eyes are missing.
The condition, which affects just one in 100,000 babies, means he will have to go through a series of operations to rebuild his eyes sockets in order to have prosthetic eyes fitted in the future.
The tot’s family decided to set up a GoFundMe campaign to help raise funds to get Elijah sensory equipment and hope that they will be able to build him a special sensory bedroom.
Elijah’s mother Zoe Hickson said: “When Elijah was born he looked like any other baby, small and perfect, but after six hours it became clear that something was wrong.
“He hadn't opened his eyes yet and doctors came and checked him over and didn't understand why.
“They got a senior ophthalmologist to come have a look at him and the she told us she thought Elijah had either very small eyes or no eyes - but either way Elijah was going to be blind.”
Elijah was then referred to Alder Hey Children's Hospital in the hope that they would be able to find out exactly what was wrong with him.
Zoe added: “Elijah was three-months-old when we got the diagnosis he has Anophthalmia - which means our boy has no eyes.
“At three months old Elijah also had open heart surgery to save to his life and has since had an operation on his eye sockets to help his face grow and to make room for prosthetics but he will need more of these painful operations over the next few years to stop his face from collapsing.
“Elijah is now 14-months-old and is the most perfect, happy, clever little boy you could ever meet and make us so proud every day.
“He deserves his own sensory room, a room full of touches, smells and sounds a room that is his world where he can learn and grow and play safely and happily.
“We are currently trying to save up to move to a bigger house where we can make this dream come true, so he won't have to share a bedroom with his brother and so that he can have his whole world as he knows it in his very own bedroom.
“Having his own room is important to Elijah for safety reasons.
“It will help promote independence for him from a young age and is important for his brother to gain his own independence too.
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“So, we are asking out of the kindness of your hearts can you help us help our son.
“Sensory equipment is so expensive and we get very little help, anything that you can spare at all, no matter how big or small, will be greatly appreciated.
“Thank you so much to everyone willing to help in any way to our cause.
“It means so much to us.”
Kelsea Little, spokesperson for GoFundMe.com, said: "A sensory room for Elijah sounds like it would be a wonderful thing for him to have at home, and we hope the campaign's goal is reach soon so that the Hickson family can begin to put it together!"
To support the appeal, please visit: www.gofundme.com/2s4myo4