Unable to help

Mom collects donations for seriously ill son (9)

Konstantin from Lower Austria needs a special car seat and a buggy due to his serious illness. However, the expensive purchase is unaffordable for mother Melanie Wagner - she is hoping for financial help.

The umbilical cord wrapped twice around his neck at birth, Down syndrome, spinal deformity, cataracts in both eyes: nine-year-old Konstantin from Ebreichsdorf in the district of Baden needs the full attention of his mother Melanie Wagner (33) due to his illnesses. A normal job is out of the question.

A step she didn't want to take
The financial situation is correspondingly precarious. The fact that the boy now needs a new special car seat and a buggy brings Wagner to the brink of despair - and prompted her to take a step she never wanted to take. She has to ask for donations. "I wanted to do everything myself. But it's not about me, it's about the little one, who didn't choose all this," explains the 33-year-old.

I wanted to do everything myself. But it's not about me, it's about the little one who didn't choose all this.

Melanie Wagner

The two purchases, which would at least make the child's life a little easier, cost more than 11,000 euros. "Konstantin can't sit in a normal booster seat in the car," explains the mother. The buggy would also make longer trips easier as an addition to the wheelchair.

ÖGK wants to look into the matter
Talks about funding from the health insurance company have so far come to nothing. "Of course we've been asked, but in their eyes it's a pure luxury," reports Wagner. However, when asked by the Krone, ÖGK announced that it would look into the matter again.

The fundraising campaign can be found at: https://www.gofundme.com/f/reha-buggy-und-reha-autositz-fur-konstantin