Help Stevania Saltos Castillo Fight Autoimmune Encephalitis

Hello friends, family, and compassionate strangers,

Our daughter, Stevania, was full of life just a few months ago. We had recently moved from New Jersey to North Carolina, excited for a fresh start. But within three weeks of moving, everything changed. Stevania began suffering from intense, frequent headaches and dizziness. Concerned, we rushed her to the hospital, but after a thorough examination, the doctors couldn't find anything wrong and sent us home.

A few days later, Stevania's condition worsened. She developed a high fever, severe headaches, and her speech became distorted. We knew something was very wrong and took her back to the hospital immediately. After a series of tests and anxiety-filled days watching her condition deteriorate, she was admitted to the ICU, where doctors finally diagnosed her with a rare and devastating condition called autoimmune encephalitis (AIE).

Autoimmune encephalitis (AE) is a rare disease that causes the body's immune system to attack healthy brain cells and tissues. It can cause a wide range of physical and mental health effects, including seizures, psychosis, memory loss, and weakness or paralysis in the arms or legs. The damage to caused by inflammation has had catastrophic consequences.

That diagnosis came three months ago. It was the last time we heard our daughter speak or saw her walk.

Since then, our lives have become a living nightmare. Stevania has developed Catatonia, a condition where she is now unable to move, speak, or even recognize us due to the swelling in her brain. Our once vibrant and active daughter now lies still, unable to communicate or engage with the world around her.

We’ve essentially been living at Duke University Hospital for the past three months, doing everything we can to help Stevania recover. The doctors and specialists here are incredible, and we are grateful for their efforts, but we are now faced with the reality of moving back to New Jersey to be closer to family and support systems as Stevania continues treatment at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick.

While we remain hopeful and trust in God to heal Stevania, this will be a long and difficult journey. The costs of her care, rehabilitation, and the move back home are overwhelming.

We humbly ask for your support as we fight alongside our daughter.

Every donation, no matter the amount, will make a tremendous difference in Stevania’s recovery.

Your contributions will go directly to:

We cannot express how deeply grateful we are for every donation, prayer, and kind word. Knowing that we are not alone in this battle brings us strength and comfort. Thank you for being a part of Stevania’s journey to recovery.

With love and gratitude,

The Saltos Castillo Family