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Miami, FL.  “His mother, Eneritz, offered to help the Euskal Etxea organize and coordinating a ‘musika-ikastola,’ and this year, while we were going over this year’s activities we were made aware of Joseba Andoni’s problem, and we realized that it was now the Euskal Etxea’s turn to help the family,” tells EuskalKultura.com Boni Guenetxea, active club member as well as part of the campaign “United for Joseba Andoni.”

The initiative was just presented on the club’s website where donations can be made.  “The goal is to reach the $75,000 necessary, in 10 months.  The therapy after the process can take several years, in order to recuperate what was lost during these 8 years.  It is impossible now to calculate the total expense of the procedure exactly.  If at the end of the treatment, and rehabilitation for Joseba Andoni, there is still money in the account, it will be donated to another non-profit organization dealing with medical research,” Guenetxea said.

Pool Accident

The odyssey of this family from Bakio started when Joseba Andoni was only 11 months old when he had an accident in a pool.  He was rescued, unconscious and nearly drowned.  The lack of oxygen left him severely brain damaged, which has affected his development and he suffers occasional seizures.  At the age of two, he had eight seizures in a row and doctors told his mother that he would not be able to speak or walk again.

Eneritz did not give up and brought her son to hospitals in Germany, France and finally in 2007, she moved to Miami where JosebaAndoni started therapy to help with his development.  “Joseba is an 8 year-old boy with the mentality of a three-year-old, very caring and he never stops smiling,” says his mother.  “He loves music, and most of all rock, and he suffers different types of seizures, as well as memory loss.   His brother, Anaitz, who will be 7, is the best support for everyone and is very mature for his age.  He knows what is going on and he helps with his brother.

Stem Cell Therapy

When Joseba Andoni turned 8 the Miami Children’s Hospital cut off its aid, so Eneritz began to look for new treatments and she found stem cell therapy that has a high rate of success that is currently being carried out in various medical centers in the US.

The high cost of this procedure isn’t covered by medical insurance, and so the Euskal Etxea in Miami decided to step up and help this family that in spite of this difficult situation has been very generous with its time and dedication to the local Basque community. “Here we are my mom, sister, my nephew and my two boys,” Eneritz said.  “Our relationship with the Miami Euskal Etxea is wonderful, and we are like a family and are ready to support the euskaletxea so that our culture and traditions continue to live wherever we are,” Eneritz said prior to knowing about the club’s campaign.

But aware of their situation, the Basque club has decided that it is time to return such selfless support and has decided to delve in and help one of their own.

If you would like to contribute to the campaign, go to the Miami Euskal Etxea’s website, here.