I never went public with a story like the one you are about to read, but a seven year old boy, Robert, and his family, need help. And not just my help, but all the help we could all offer.

Robert was born with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and has been diagnosed with the third level of this syndrome when he was one year and a half. On top of it, due to an incorrectly administrated treatment, he now suffers a heart problem that was diagnosed two months ago and has to go under continuous treatment for both these medical problems. At 7, the age when he was already supposed to be in in the first grade in school, Robert doesn't yet talk.

When I first met his father Ionut Munteanu, he was driving the cab that took me to a friend's house. Mid through the journey, his phone rang and for the remaining ten minutes, he kept imploring his wife, who was on the line, to stop crying and begged her to believe their child will not die, hoping God will help them find a way. It was simply a matter of money- money he promised to raise, even if he had to work day and night driving the cab.

The Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder can be treated, but for the Munteanu family, this comes costly. Every month, they have to pay around EUR 500 for Robert's regular therapy. He's working as a cab driver, while his wife had to give up work and stay at home to take care of the boy. They have to pay all the treatments in private facilities, while making a living with the little that remains of their monthly income. The boy is currently hospitalized at the CC Iliescu hospital in Bucharest - part of the Fundeni hospital. Every five days, they have to buy anticoagulants for Robert's heart, so every five days they have to pay EUR 100. Every month, that's an extra EUR 600. If they don't, his life is in danger. Because they didn't have enough money to money to pay for both treatments, they stopped the ADHD treatment and focused on the life threatening heart problems. They don't own a house and have been renting, but their landlord has just evicted them. When I last talked to Ionut Munteanu, he had no idea where they would stay for the night. He said he was desperate but you could somehow still feel a slight hope in his voice. He believes in God.

Ten days before Christmas, I would rather write a happy story that would make us all feel better with our lives and fill our batteries for the year to come. But ten days before Christmas, I found out about these people who need our help.

I am not a fundraiser and I have no idea whether anyone of you reading this text will actually care enough and have the means to help this family. But I happened to be in that cab, at that time, and I couldn't just walk away. My hope is you will not walk away either.

If you want to help Robert and his family, please donate any amount of money or offer any sort of help. They are in great need. Get in touch with them. You can write me for more details at the e-mail address corina@romania-insider.com, or simply call Ionut 0763.070.184 if you want to get more details about their situation and about how you could help. Ionut speaks English.

The account number where the funds for Robert and his family are raised is  RO69BUCU1051030268724RON opened on Corina Talpeanu's name at Alpha Bank (she is Ionut's wife and Robert's mother). The account is in Romanian currency.

Thank you!

Corina Saceanu