Swedish mom Martina Boström’s son Maximiliam is 4 years old. He is suffering from an unusual disorder that has seen many kids die. Because of his treatment, he is swelling. For this reason, both little Max and his mom get judgmental glances. Because of this, Martina decided to write a post on Facebook where she expressed her anger. She describes the terrible reaction they’ve been getting around town. Now, thousands show their support and shares her post on social media. Just by observing and illustrating this we can make a change. And to Martina and Max: We support you!
This is what she wrote in her post:
This is Maximiliam, 4 years old, outgoing and always happy. He is suffering from a disease not many kids has survived. He’s on a lot of medicine after his tough treatment. In 2012, he had a bone marrow transplantation, which saved him from dying. He has been really ill afterwards, with a lot of complications. His body is fighting multiple diseases after the transplantation. In the image below you’ll see a lively boy looking quite happy. Why do you have to rob him of his joy? All you people out there, please respect that we are all different. You have no idea what people might have been through. You have absolutely no right to comment on how other people look, cause you know nothing about that person’s history. You don’t know how hard they have fought to survive!
Today, we stopped at McDonalds for a meal, nothing strange about that. We have to eat to survive. Suddenly a girl sat down next to Max, she looked at him and started to move closer to her mom. It was like she was afraid of Max. He looked at her and smiled, she looked away. Her mom had to tell her over and over to eat her food, because she just couldn’t stop looking at him. This girl was just a child, so she doesn’t understand that people look different. But do you know what’s really frightening me? Adults that loud and clearly are saying you shouldn’t feed your “fat kids” with food from McDonalds, without even considering he might be sick! Maybe he has been through a lot in life. Maybe he is swollen? Because you know what? IT’S BECAUSE HE IS EATING CORTISONE HE IS SWOLLEN! HE’S NOT FAT!
I was in line on the grocery store the other day and Max had a candy bag in his hand. Behind us were two women who loud and clear said: “Poor kid to have parents feeding him with candy when he is fat”. I didn’t answer; I just prayed Max didn’t hear them. But back at the house, Max asked me why he is fat. Is it sane a kid just 4 years old asks such a question when he is swollen because of his medicine? Wherever we look people are watching, kids get scared of him and adults discuss his look appearance. Maximilliam have heard enough. You are adults, and you have spoken so loud that my child doesn’t want to live anymore. He isn’t stupid or blind. He understands every single word you say and he understand that look in your eyes! He tell me how sad he is, he use words like “I don’t want to live anymore” and “I can’t take it anymore” and this because we live in a sick world.
What you don’t know about others, you have no right to talk about. My son should not have to stay home just because you don’t understand the seriousness. I shouldn’t have to feel like a bad mom when I give him some candy on a Saturday just because he’s swollen. We shouldn’t have to stay inside because you can’t behave. You are ruining his self-confidence when you talk loudly about how he looks and what he should and shouldn’t eat. He is 4 years old and he is sick, he has been through some really tough things in life. You can’t even imagine. So I’m begging you, please! If you don’t know what people have been through, don’t express your opinion about how he looks, and what you think he should and shouldn’t eat.
Because you have no idea how much it hurts a person that are fighting to survive and to stay happy. Don’t push him down anymore, because he is really fighting. Please, stop looking weirdly at him because he can tell what you think just by the way you look at him. He is a human being just like the rest of you. So please, stop it.
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