Viki
My name is Viki, I am 27 years old and I'm from Slovakia. I spent my whole childhood in constant motion — from dance, ballet, tennis and fencing to ice skating.
At the age of thirteen I began to notice that running and jumping were becoming difficult, unexplained falls started happening on level ground, and objects slipped out of my hands. In 2021 a genetic test diagnosed me with Tay-Sachs disease. By then I was no longer able to climb stairs on my own or stand up from a seated position without using my hands. Frequent falls made everyday life harder.
In 2023 I gave birth to my son Adam. He is an attentive and sensitive boy who is aware that his mum is different from other mums.
These days I train with a physiotherapist twice a week, I use a walking stick to help me, and I avoid stairs whenever I can.
This is my story — the story of a girl who became a woman and a mother, and who decided to live fully in spite of this disease. My body may be growing weaker, but my heart and my will to live for my son will never weaken.