Free Therapy for Romanian Kids with Disabilities

Many of the children who come to our Recovery Center are children with autism.

In Romania, autism affects an estimated 40,000 children, although there is no official national registry and many cases remain undiagnosed.
Behind these numbers are families fighting every day for their children’s future.

Although legislation in Romania provides support for therapy through the national health system, in reality, access is extremely limited. Many parents report that reimbursement is difficult to obtain, and therapy costs are often covered almost entirely by the family.

At the same time, there are only a handful of truly specialized centers that can offer proper recovery services—and all of them depend on funding to continue their work.

Nicoleta, a mother, shared her story:

"Three years ago, my son didn’t speak, didn’t respond to his name, and avoided eye contact. He played alone, lining up objects or running in circles. I went from one state specialist to another, but no one gave clear answers. No one spent more than a few minutes with him.

I realized time was passing, and my child needed urgent therapy. We were alone in this. I had to find a private clinic. For two years, we paid an entire salary for therapy. We moved in with relatives because we could no longer afford rent. We have two more children, and only my husband’s income supports us.

Even now, the system offers one free therapy hour per week, but there are no available places. And children like mine cannot wait.

Today, I see progress. My son speaks. He goes to kindergarten. None of this would have been possible without the sacrifices we made."

Remus is not alone.

Many children in Romania live on the margins, with very limited chances to recover and live independently. Without early and consistent therapy, their future becomes increasingly uncertain.

At our Center, we meet desperate parents who simply cannot afford therapy. Every month, over 20 children receive support through our programs.

We want to offer therapy free of charge to as many children as possible.

But we cannot do this without you.

Sponsor therapy for one child
Make a one-time donation
Become a monthly supporter

Because children like Remus cannot wait.

Links:

• Our center Facebook page

At the age of 7, when most children in Romania are starting school for the first time, Gabriel received a life-changing diagnosis. He was told he had severe intellectual disabilities and was sent to a special school.

His family was devastated. Not because they refused the diagnosis, but because they refused to give up on their child. They didn’t want to simply accept limits — they wanted to help Gabriel recover as much as possible and have a life with dignity and independence.

Very soon, they discovered how difficult that path was. Free therapy was available for only a few weeks per year, after months of waiting. Private therapy was far beyond what they could afford. Hope was fading.

Seven years ago, they brought Gabriel to our Therapy Center. From that moment on, the center became part of their lives — a place where hope stayed alive.

Back then, Gabriel could not take care of himself. He struggled to communicate and needed help with almost everything. Progress felt very far away.

Today, Gabriel can use the bathroom on his own, wash himself, and eat independently. He comes to therapy with joy, feels safe, and smiles when he sees familiar faces. One day, he learned to write a single letter. Then another. And eventually, he filled an entire page with the letter “A.”
For most of us, that may seem small. For Gabriel, it was a huge victory.

Gabriel’s steps are small — but they are real. And they are possible because his family never gave up, and because therapy continued when it mattered most.

For Gabriel, therapy means a chance to keep moving forward.
For you, a donation means that chance does not disappear.

Sometimes we can’t change how a story begins.
But we can change how it continues.

Our Center continues to support children from Galati and even nearby counties.
Every month, 50–60 children take small steps toward a future they could not hope for without help.
Steps made possible only because someone chooses to care. 

(Child't name changed to protect confidentiality)

Links:

• Facebook page