There is nothing that parents do not do for their children, so when they see that their offspring face anything that puts their lives at risk, they do not hesitate to look for the best alternative that can keep them safe or protect them from any danger. .
This is something that a Canadian couple is very clear about, because upon learning that three of their four children suffer from a genetic disease that affects their eyesight and that over time they will lose their vision completely, they decided to embark on a trip around the world to create visual keepsakes that your little ones can hold onto.
The couple behind this moving story is made up of Edith Lemay and Sébastien Pelletier, who, after 12 years of marriage, noticed that their eldest daughter, Mia, then three years old, began to have vision problems, so they decided to take her to the doctor for a checkup.
The specialist diagnosed that her first-born suffered from retinitis pigmentosa, a rare genetic disease that, over time, causes decreased and even complete loss of vision. However, the situation did not end there, because some time later, the couple realized that two of their other children, Colin and Lauren, had symptoms similar to those of Mia.
The condition of their children alarmed the couple, who took on the task of looking for alternatives to care for their offspring. In 2019, Colin and Lauren were officially diagnosed with the same genetic disorder as their older sister, Leo being the only one of the four who did not develop his brother’s condition.
After several investigations and more medical opinions, Edith and Sébastien found that there was no cure or any treatment to stop the progress of the disease that affects their children, so, according to specialists, children are expected to lose completely sight when they reach middle age.
Faced with the dismal scenario, the couple accepted the diagnosis and focused on following the advice that the doctor suggested, which consisted of generating visual memories that their children can keep in their memory for when they become permanently blind.
I thought, ‘I’m not going to show her an elephant in a book, I’m going to take her to see a real elephant. I am going to fill her visual memory with the best and most beautiful images that she can.’
– Edith Lemay
In this way, Edith and Sébastien got down to work, adjusted their finances and planned to make a one-year trip, an adventure in which they would focus on traveling to various parts of the world so that their children generate memories of landscapes, places, different cultures and people.
After raising some money and because Sébastien received compensation after the company he works for was sold, the family had the resources to start their trip, which they planned to start in July 2020, but was delayed due to the covid-19 pandemic.
Before embarking on their trip, the family planned an itinerary that included traveling through Russia and China. However, in the end, they chose to do what came up on the fly. Their family journey began in Namibia, where they saw elephants, zebras and giraffes, then headed to Zambia and Tanzania, before flying on to Turkey, Mongolia and Indonesia.
Beyond the importance of generating memories for their children through the trip, the couple also wants the children to develop strong skills to face the different situations that life presents to them.
Source: Okchicas
I’m Ava Paul, an experienced news website author with a special focus on the entertainment section. Over the past five years, I have worked in various positions of media and communication at World Stock Market. My experience has given me extensive knowledge in writing, editing, researching and reporting on stories related to the entertainment industry.
