Meet Katalina, Klaudia & Their Family
Meet the Attisha family Kevin, Crystal, and Karmine.
Katalina and Klaudia’s parents and little brother.
When learning of their diagnosis Kevin and Crystal immediately knew their lives would be different. Rather than seeing their daughter’s disability it was their ability they focused on. Together they learned, understood and accepted this was a gift from God and they were chosen. Kevin and Crystal wrapped their arms around their entire family and wholeheartedly offered all their love and support. They spread hope and light to all who know them and reside in Michigan.
Katalina and Klaudia Attisha are the reason this Charity We Care Crusade was started. They are the twin granddaughters of Debbie the founder. She calls them her amazing heroes.
Both girls were born prematurely weighing under 5 lbs. in 2015 in Michigan. Their hospital stay was longer than expected as they were carefully monitored in the NICU unit for several weeks. When able to go home they grew slowly and over time it was apparent they were not reaching their milestones. They both had developmental delays not being able to hold their heads up, sit up, or rollover and at the age of one, they were diagnosed with spastic paraplegic Cerebral Pasley.
https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/cp/facts.html
Later another diagnosis came of a rare disorder found by genetic testing called Angelman syndrome which is a neurological disorder that is caused by a missing chromosome. Only 1 in 15,000 children have Angelman syndrome.
Overtime the twins have undergone clinical trials, surgeries, and have had many therapies available to help in their progress. Currently at almost six years old they are not able to walk, talk or feed themselves and are at a level of a 12-month-old cognitively.
Their everyday is overwhelming as each task takes extra time with considerable love and patience from hand feeding, changing diapers, bathing, dressing, adjusting medical equipment, walkers, standers, and wheelchairs. Along with administering medications and the spontaneous seizures, the doctor's visits, hospital stays, and physical therapies are endless. The silver lining is the twins are happy and such a joy to be around. As exhausting as this may sound in raising children who have special needs, the reward is knowing that these are God's special children, and they didn't ask to be born this way.
The girls light up a room with their infectious laughter and smiles so wide. Celebrating the small accomplishments, nothing they can or can't do is taken for granted.
Even with these extraordinary challenges, we are confident these girls will one day reach their highest potential.