Viki

My name is Viki, I'm 27 years old and I come from Slovakia. I spent my entire childhood in constant motion, from dance, ballet, tennis, fencing to skating. At the age of 13, I began to notice that I had trouble running and jumping, inexplicable falls on flat ground began to appear, objects fell out of my hands. In 2021, I was diagnosed with Tay-Sachs disease by genetic testing. At that time, I was no longer able to climb the stairs on my own, to stand up from a sitting position without the help of my hands. Frequent falls made my everyday life unpleasant. In 2023, I gave birth to my son Adam. He is an attentive and sensitive boy who realizes that his mother is different from other mothers. Currently, I exercise twice a week with a physiotherapist, I help myself with a support stick when walking, and if I can, I prefer to avoid stairs. This is my story – the story of a girl who turned into a woman and a mother and who, despite this disease, decided to live life to the fullest. My body may be weakening, but my heart and my will to live for my son will never weaken.