Every morning, his mom, Ivana, would stand a few steps behind him, hands ready, waiting for the day he’d climb them on his own. 

Some mornings, he tried. Most mornings, he simply turned, arms raised, asking to be carried. She told herself he was just tired, or maybe a little lazy. He was her easygoing kid, the one who loved cartoons, animals, and splashing in the pool until his fingers wrinkled.


 

Then one day he broke his leg, and the story she’d been telling herself began to unravel. When Ivana asked for physical therapy to help him regain strength, the therapist noticed something more, something deeper than an injury. 

She gently suggested a visit to a neurologist. A few weeks later, the diagnosis came: Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a rare and progressive genetic disorder that weakens muscles over time.



At first, Ivana couldn’t believe it. “It felt like a bad dream,” she said. “I’d wake up in the morning and think—did that really happen?” But it had. And life would never be the same.



Before Duchenne, life had been ordinary in the best ways. Ivana and her husband both worked full-time. Their kids played sports, went to daycare, and filled weekends with laughter and errands and the comfortable rhythm of family life. After the diagnosis, everything stopped. “I quit my job,” she said. “I had so much guilt. We’re immigrants, so we came here with no family to help, no one to count on. I just wanted to be with my kids.”



The family relocated from Illinois to Florida, a place with warmer weather and, more importantly, a backyard pool. Parks and playgrounds were already becoming too difficult for Marko, but in the water, he could move freely. Swimming became both exercise and escape, the one place Duchenne couldn’t fully reach him.


 

Now fifteen, Marko is still that same boy who loves movement, just in different ways. He cheers for soccer matches he can’t yet play, follows tennis highlights online, and dreams about the day he’ll “finally race everyone” in his new power wheelchair. “His dream is to run,” Ivana said simply. 

It’s a dream that keeps him motivated, even as daily life requires more help. He can still walk short distances, but he now needs assistance with dressing, bathing, and getting in and out of the car. At school, he sometimes needs help opening water bottles or markers. He gets frustrated—sometimes sad—but he keeps his sense of humor intact.


 

Recently, his doctor at Johns Hopkins recommended a Galileo Vibrating Plate, a medical device that helps stimulate muscle regeneration and improve bone density. For kids with Duchenne, it can slow the physical decline, offering a sense of control in a life that often feels anything but. 

“He used it during physical therapy,” Ivana explained. “They told us it would be really helpful if he could do it at home, five to seven times a week. It helps with his bones, balance, and strength.”



There was just one problem: the cost. Last year, the family’s home flooded after a storm, leaving them without insurance coverage and scrambling to rebuild. “It was scary,” Ivana recalled. “My biggest fear was how to move Marko to a dry area. You don’t think about that until it happens.” Between the repairs, medical bills, and the cost of adaptive equipment, an expensive therapy device wasn’t within reach.


 

That’s where Chive Charities came in. Through a grant made possible by donors like you, Marko received the Galileo Vibrating Plate to help him maintain strength and independence on his own schedule for a total impact of $7,150. It’s not glamorous, but to this family, it’s life-changing.

“He makes funny noises when it vibrates,” Ivana laughed. “If I sit with him and we play cards or talk, he’s happy to do it. It’s our little routine now.” Every vibration, every laugh, every shared moment keeps him moving—closer to strength, closer to confidence, closer to that dream he refuses to give up.



Though we would peg her as a super mom, Ivana doesn’t see herself as extraordinary. “You do what you have to do,” she said. But behind that simple statement is a story of courage, sacrifice, and unwavering love. 

For Marko, every day is about finding new ways to move, new reasons to smile, and new ways to keep dreaming. He might not run the way he once imagined, but with the help of a community that believes in him, he’s still in the race.



Thanks to our donors, Marko’s dream to run is still alive, and every session with his new Galileo device helps make that possible. Your generosity fuels stories like his, turning small acts of kindness into powerful steps forward. Hopefully, literally.

When life slows you down, there’s always a way to keep moving. Because of you, Marko’s dream to run is alive and well, one good vibration at a time. Become part of our life-changing movement and DONATE HERE.