Introduction to the Fundraiser
Máťa (who now calls himself Melodyt) and his mom are kindly asking for your help in acquiring a car, which is absolutely essential for their family. Only with a car can they provide Máťa with even the most basic care – traveling to doctors, therapy sessions, or regular school assessments.
Máťa has autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, and moderate intellectual disability. His condition isn't immediately visible – which makes it all the harder to explain to others why he’s unable to leave the apartment like a typical child. He suffers from severe anxiety and hypersensitivity to everyday noises and stimuli, which can trigger stress, panic, or even self-harming behavior.
The family lives in a busy city with no peaceful outdoor space. Public transport or taxis are no longer sustainable options. The only way to open up the world to Máťa, even a little, is with their own reliable car.
However, the family simply cannot afford a safe vehicle on their own – and such cars start at around 500,000 CZK. This is where they need help.
Our Life in Brief:
For 15 years, ever since our first son was born, we’ve never asked for help. We always tried to manage everything on our own, no matter how difficult. We lived abroad, relying only on ourselves. Due to various pressures and life circumstances, we later decided to leave England and returned to the Czech Republic in 2017, hoping life would be easier here.
We rented a home, but eventually began facing issues with neighbors. This led to several moves, which deeply affected Matýsek’s mental health. His episodes worsened, his needs changed week by week. Exhaustion, stress, and the need for constant care became part of our daily reality. If we turn our attention away even briefly, he might shove something into his nose, bite his hand, or break something – sometimes just because of a sound, or the color or texture of food.
We spend hours preparing meals he asks for, only for him to reject them when they’re ready. Then we try a second, third, fourth meal – and so on. We also have to be dressed a certain way, avoid saying certain words, and even avoid yawning.
Every day is mentally exhausting beyond words.
No treatment has worked – in fact, most attempts only made things worse.
There’s no suitable care facility for him, nor is there any respite care that would allow someone to occasionally come and watch him. For 15 years, we haven’t known rest or time off. The word “vacation” is completely foreign to us. We live as modestly as possible, dedicating all our time to our son’s needs – but sometimes, it's just too much. We’re only human.
In our hearts, we dream of a little house with a garden near the forest – somewhere we could recharge. We believe such a place would gradually help stabilize our whole family.
We wish to raise our sons in harmony with nature, teach them self-sufficiency, and hope that Matýsek might one day live with a bit more dignity and independence.
But we have no means to achieve this. The best we can hope for now is to occasionally visit nature – yet even that’s impossible. Melodyt cannot handle travel by bus or train. He becomes sick, vomits soon after leaving the house, and suffers from dizziness. Crowds, traffic, and smells overwhelm him. Sometimes just seeing someone without socks can trigger a meltdown lasting for hours.
That’s why we’ve realized that the only viable solution is to get a car. He has traveled by car a few times – for school checks or moving – and with rare exceptions, it doesn't bother him.
We applied for a state contribution toward a car, and after four attempts, it was finally approved.
With this grant for a mobility aid (the car), which is available to holders of the ZTP/P disability card, there is a condition: the car must be owned and in use for at least 7 years and must be adequately insured. Because of this long-term usage requirement, everyone we’ve consulted has recommended buying a new car – since the reliability of used vehicles can’t be guaranteed and repairs could become extremely expensive.
So we are turning to you – kind-hearted people – and asking for your help. We believe that generous donors can help ease our lives, relieve the burden of daily care for Matýsek, and not only support him (which is essential to us), but also give our whole family a chance to leave the city and find peace in nature – somewhere we otherwise cannot go.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts to everyone who reads our story and supports our fundraiser in any way.
We deeply appreciate every bit of help – especially in these difficult times that affect us all.
Who Are We Helping?
Máťa’s story began 11 years ago in England, where he was born a healthy, strong baby. Until the age of two, he developed normally – he talked, ate, responded to his name. Then everything changed. He stopped communicating, eating, reacting. He began rocking, lining up toys, showed extreme sensitivity, and had frequent meltdowns.
Back in the Czech Republic, doctors diagnosed him with moderate intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, and ADHD. The family gradually adapted to his different way of perceiving the world – he wore diapers until age 10, didn’t attend group activities, and didn’t communicate in a typical way. In recent years, his condition has worsened to the point that he cannot leave the apartment. Every attempt ends in a panic attack, vomiting, or self-harm.
The only “window to the world” for him is a car ride – where he feels safe. That’s why getting a car is absolutely essential for the family. Without it, they can’t go to school checks, therapy, doctor appointments, or nature – which has a calming effect on Máťa.
The entire family’s life is devoted to Matýsek’s care. Rare moments of peace are spent quietly at home. Vacations, leisure activities, or rest are out of the question – there’s no one who could take care of him. Due to long-term stress, the father of the family has also fallen ill – he was diagnosed with a benign tumor on the pituitary gland, likely caused by chronic emotional exhaustion.
The family also cares for an older son, who has ADHD, Asperger’s syndrome, and other learning disabilities. Having a car would improve his life quality as well – even if just a little.
How Will the Funds Be Used?
The proceeds from this fundraiser will go directly toward purchasing a safe, reliable family car that will allow the family to:
-
travel with Máťa for home-school assessments,
-
attend medical appointments and therapy sessions,
-
take both children on trips to peaceful places, which help Máťa relax,
-
reduce the family’s isolation and improve their physical and mental health,
-
and eventually move to a more suitable home outside the noisy city center of Plzeň.
Every donation – no matter how small – helps the family take another step toward a freer and more dignified life. Thank you for reading, sharing, and contributing. It means more than words can express. 💚