Jakob Bielskis came into the world six months ago. But he's never actually seen it. And, without a special and costly eye treatment, he never will.
"He can't see a thing, but he's a very happy baby and it doesn't even seem to phase him that he's blind," said Richard Bielskis, Jakob's father and a former Barrie resident. "We're the ones suffering with his condition, because he doesn't even know what he's missing."
The six-month-old Calgary baby was born with a rare disorder that has left him blind.
His only hope of seeing the world is a very new treatment that uses umbilical stem cells to regenerate the optic nerve. The treatment has been developed in China, but is only offered there by a company called Beike Biotech.
That means a long flight for Bielskis, his wife, Dawn Villeneuve, and Jakob in October, and enduring the cost of travel expenses and treatments costing between $50,000 and $75,000.
But if it means their little boy is able to see, the couple is determined to find the money.
"He's the greatest thing to happen to us, but when we heard about his condition, we were heartbroken," Bielskis said. "I got thinking, I'll never get to play catch with my son because he won't see the ball."
"I just hate that he can't see me," Villeneuve said. "Any mother would do whatever she could to help her child. So, when we found hope, we were going to make this happen, no matter what."
The couple has already raised $25,000 through fundraisers and donations for Jakob's cause.
Now his grandmother, Rena Charney, is taking matters into her own hands.
She's holding a pig roast on her property in Brentwood, outside of Angus, today, at 1 p. m. and has been selling tickets for $10 for the past two months.
"I decided to have the pig roast to try and generate some more money," Charney said, cradling Jakob in her arms. "Jakob's a little pioneer, but he just doesn't know it yet.
"He's helping to pave the road for others needing this treatment in Canada," she added. "He'll be the first Canadian baby to receive this eye treatment."
Ryan Patterson, a family friend, will also be on hand to help out with to-day's pig roast. He's also been selling rubber bracelets for $5.
"We're selling these blue bracelets that have Jakob's Fight for Sight on them," the Barrie resident said. "I've sold a ton of them at my work and to the public. We all just take our sight for granted, so I really wanted to help the little guy out."
The family will fly to China on Oct. 4 and Jakob's first treatment is scheduled for Oct. 6.
"They'll take millions of stem cells and give him them through injections," Bielskis said. "The last five (treatments) will be performed through spinal taps.
"They don't actually give the treatments to any child under nine months old," he added. "Jakob will be just that old by the time we leave."
The family will return home in early November, but the company told Jakob's family he should start to see the effects of the treatments before he leaves China.
The family has set up a fundraising account at all TD Canada Trust branches under the name Jakob's Fight for Sight.
