Minsk resident with a severe illness cannot drive son to school — help is needed

Miroslav is 12 years old, he studies at special boarding school No. 10 in Minsk and must be there by 09:00 five days a week.

By public transport, the journey with transfers takes almost an hour. The boy's mother, Svetlana, has multiple sclerosis and is physically unable to drive her son herself. The woman arranges with acquaintances or calls a taxi, but for the family, such trips become a significant expense.

Tochka.by journalists spoke with Svetlana about how she first learned about her illness, how her life has changed since then, and why she now particularly needs help with her son.

"I just stopped feeling my skin"

Svetlana was 22 when she first realized something was wrong with her body. One day she woke up feeling that the skin on most of her body was numb.

Павялічыць

"It was 2008, I was graduating from the Technological University. State exams, work, and also a difficult relationship that lasted a year — in general, there was a lot of stress. After my skin went numb, I had an MRI and signs of demyelination were found. To put it simply: the myelin sheath of a nerve is similar to the insulation of an electrical wire. It is responsible for transmitting impulses from the central nervous system. In my case, this sheath is destroyed by my own immunity. And the brain simply 'forgets' how to communicate with the body," the woman explains.

At that time, doctors diagnosed "demyelinating disease of the central nervous system" and warned that Svetlana might develop multiple sclerosis in the future.

What is multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis is a chronic autoimmune disease of the central nervous system. In it, the immune system damages the myelin sheath of nerve fibers, which disrupts the transmission of signals between the brain and the body.

The exact cause of the disease is still unknown. It is most often diagnosed in people aged 20–45.

It is not yet possible to completely cure multiple sclerosis, but there are drugs that can slow down the progression of the disease. In Belarus, since 2018, patients have been prescribed DMT (Disease-Modifying Therapies) therapy, which changes the course of multiple sclerosis.

As the disease progresses, the possibilities for influencing the condition become more limited, which is why early diagnosis is important.

After some time, her vision worsened, she developed weakness in her legs and twitching in her arms. But after hormone treatment, the symptoms receded.

First a cane, then a wheelchair

When Svetlana became pregnant with Miroslav, doctors said the disease had entered remission, but warned of a possible worsening of her condition after childbirth.

The pregnancy went well, but after her son's birth, her condition gradually began to change.

"After childbirth, my left foot stopped extending completely, my leg didn't obey. But I still remained very active. A small child — he mobilizes you. Strength appears from somewhere on its own," says Svetlana.

Two and a half years later, she gave birth to her daughter Vera. During pregnancy, problems with coordination and dizziness appeared, and soon a cane was needed. In November 2017, Svetlana was officially diagnosed with "multiple sclerosis" and given a second disability group.

Павялічыць

A few years later, her condition worsened to such an extent that the woman began using a wheelchair, and her disability group was changed to the first. Despite this, Svetlana tried to remain active, going out for walks with her children — she was helped to raise money for an electric wheelchair.

"My condition doesn't worsen in one day, but gradually. Before, I could crawl to the wall bars, pull myself up, and get into the wheelchair on my own. Now I need help. My body doesn't obey at all," says the interlocutor.

In addition, Svetlana refused hormonal therapy.

"Yes, hormones give strength, but they don't cure. Besides, I gained a lot of weight due to increased appetite, and my heart beat wildly at night. Now I only take vitamins and certain dietary supplements. I have neither the time nor the money for rehabilitation. When you're a mother, you live your children's lives first and foremost," she admits.

Now, Svetlana is most concerned not about her own illness. She needs Miroslav to be able to go to school regularly.

"Until three years old, he just grunted"

The boy's developmental peculiarities became noticeable in early childhood. He started talking late.

"The child was already three and a half, and he would point at something and grunt. I cried a lot, I prayed. And one wonderful morning, he just started repeating everything as best he could," the interlocutor recalls.

The boy was diagnosed with "mild mental retardation bordering on moderate." Currently, Miroslav has the third degree of health loss.

Павялічыць

Павялічыць

He began his schooling in an integrated class of a regular school. Due to seizures that appeared, he had to switch to home schooling, and then to special boarding school No. 10 on Kabushkina Street. The format involved a five-day stay: weekdays at the boarding school, weekends at home.

"Miroslav first studied in the first department under a special program for children with mild intellectual disability. He wrote as best he could, even read by syllables, and counted," says Svetlana.

But then there was a regression. And from the fifth grade, the boy was transferred to the second department.

"The program there is much easier: subjects like 'Elements of Arithmetic', 'Elements of Writing and Speech Development' are studied, children are taught self-care skills and engage in a lot of creative activities. But he no longer agreed to sleep at school. And so we returned to a regime where he comes home every day," she explains.

Now the woman wants to try again to transfer her son to study with residence at the boarding school. But, she says, she doesn't have high hopes for it.

"Maybe I'll last until the autumn holidays, maybe not. Maybe it will only be for a week. Chances are 50/50. I don't know how his brain works. He might just start protesting — and that's it," Svetlana explains.

Павялічыць

At the same time, she currently has no other choice: there's simply no one to drive Miroslav to school every day.

The woman lives with her mother and sister. Her mother has a second disability group, her sister works, and Svetlana is divorced from her husband — he pays alimony, but does not participate in the children's lives.

"No one from my close relatives can drive and pick up my son. Officially, I am registered as a person caring for a disabled child. But I myself need help. The assistant who comes to me spends a third of her time helping my children. And sometimes she drives Miroslav. That's how we live," the woman shares.

The only stable option to get Miroslav to school is a taxi. But for the family, it's too expensive.

Павялічыць

"Around 50 rubles are spent on trips per week. My monthly income is about 2700 rubles: this includes all benefits and pension I receive. But immediately deduct 900 — they go to the assistant. Both Miroslav and I are also entitled to social taxi services. For one person — seven trips per month. But five of them are for medical institutions and only two are for anywhere else," says Svetlana.

The "wrong" diagnosis for a social car

In 2025, according to the woman, she turned to the administration of the Leninsky district for help.

Then Svetlana's friend decided to help and posted on social media, asking anyone nearby who could drive the boy to respond.

"Several people responded. One man seemed to agree to pick up Miroslav four times a week — it was on his way to work. But then something went wrong, and he disappeared. There was another woman, but she herself developed health problems — she said to wait," says Svetlana.

She doesn't hide that it's difficult to cope under such circumstances. Besides Miroslav, she also needs to take care of her younger daughter, Vera — she is 10 years old and studies at a regular school.

Павялічыць

"It's hard, but I have to keep going. I'm alive — that's already happiness. And, of course, the children: I need to take care of them — that's the main thing," she says.

If you are willing to help, you can contact Svetlana by phone +375 (44) 582-91-85, or via messengers (Viber, Telegram) at the same number.

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