Matthias was diagnosed with optic nerve pathway glioma in August 2023. He lost his vision in his right eye. The glioma has also affected his gross motor skills, as he is not able to stand or walk on his own. It has limited his speech to only a few words, and it has limited his fine motor skills.
We had Matthias when my husband and I were 44 years old, after trying for years and having 2 miscarriages. Matthias was our amazing gift from God, as we were in the process of adopting when we found out about the pregnancy.
Matthias was born with Down Syndrome and when he was 2.5 years old he was diagnosed with Neurofibromatosis (NF1). Neurofibromatosis is the reason for the optic nerve glioma.
This has shown us how important family and friends are. This diagnosis has put in perspective what is important in life and that without your health nothing else matters.
Hope session by Karen Shoufler Photography | Facebook | Instagram