Latvian Mother Shares Heartbreaking Journey Raising Son with Cerebral Palsy

Agnese Vilcāne describes the profound impact of her son Aleks's birth, which forever altered her and her husband Alvis's lives. Born prematurely, Aleks arrived with multiple severe diagnoses, including cerebral palsy and epilepsy. The journey has involved difficult childbirth, four months in the hospital, complicated surgeries, and the constant emergence of new diagnoses. Despite these challenges, Agnese states, "We take two steps back, one forward, but still forward."

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We take two steps back, one forward, but still forward.

Agnese is sharing her story to fill a void she experienced after Aleks's birth, having lacked relatable experiences from other mothers. She aims to speak openly about the diverse roles of motherhood and the varying health conditions of children. She also issues a warning: concerning symptoms during pregnancy must be taken very seriously. Lāsma Līdaka, president of the Latvian Association of Gynecologists and Obstetricians, supports this, advising pregnant individuals not to hesitate in reporting concerns at maternity ward admissions. Psychologist Zane Jankovska of "Veselības centrs 4" offers guidance on how to integrate joy, meaning, and choice back into life alongside pain.

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I probably hadn't cried so many tears in my whole life. I cannot describe that pain.

Agnese and Alvis met 10 years ago as students and married five years later. They did not rush into starting a family, with Agnese wanting it to happen "when it's supposed to happen." Their child arrived in the summer of 2025. Agnese describes her pregnancy as "ideal" until a critical point. She reflects, "The reason why everything happened like this was the gynecologist's negligence and my ignorance. If I had known more..." She vividly recalls the events, including a second-trimester screening that showed everything was fine. However, following an internal gynecological examination, she experienced concerning symptoms that her gynecologist initially advised treating with suppositories. When these did not help, and symptoms persisted, especially after the Christmas and New Year holidays, Agnese sought further medical advice, suspecting something was wrong.

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The reason why everything happened like this was the gynecologist's negligence and my ignorance. If I had known more...