Help Sebastian Regain His Sight

My name is Nicole Constantin and I am fundraising for my family member in Romania who recently was diagnosed with Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON). His name is Sebastian and he is 21 years old. He is from a small village in Romania but moved to Cluj Napoca at the age of 17 to pursue a degree in Architecture. He has two loving parents and two younger siblings, whom he visited often when time permitted. Unfortunately, Sebastian was diagnosed with LHON in September 2022. Below is a message from Sebastian:

Unfortunately, I was diagnosed with LHON in November 2022. LHON is an inherited disease that affects your eyesight. The central vision, which you need to drive, read and recognize faces, was affected first. Currently, I am legally blind with only about 5% of my vision intact. I have put my studies on hold and am in desperate need of treatment. Without it, I will remain blind, unable to attain my degree in architecture, see my younger siblings grow, and ultimately lose my independence entirely.

Thankfully, I've been approved for a clinical trial in the United States. Doctors at Vanderbilt Eye Institute have developed a study called "Compassionate Use Expanded Access" Program. Initial results of this trial demonstrate that the treatment shows "statistically significant visual acuity improvement." Please feel free to learn more about the trial here.

This trial has given me hope for a brighter future, yet my family and I do not have the funds to travel and live in the United States while I receive treatment. This essentially inspired me to start this GoFundMe page with the help of my family in the US. We are ultimately fundraising to help my family pay for the consultations I've had up to this point in Romania, but also the treatment in the US. I will also be needing money to travel back to the US in the future for additional follow-ups. I appreciate all your support!! My relative, Nicole, will update this message regularly once I am able to receive treatment for you all to follow my journey as I continue my fight against LHON. Don't let today be the end of my story. Please share my story with your friends and family and if you can afford it, please donate.

EDIT: Thank you so much everyone for your generous donations and unwavering love for Sebi! We are so grateful for our friends and family around the world that have come together to support Sebastian and his family! Please keep sharing and sending in the donations! We are half way towards our goal :)