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€1 million raised to fund treatment for baby girl

21:21 17/09/2019

Donors all over Belgium have raised €1 million in just a few days to help fund treatment for a nine-month-old baby girl suffering from a rare and life-threatening genetic disorder.

Pia suffers from spinal muscular atrophy, a disease that can only be overcome with the most expensive medicine in the world - Zolgensma, at a price of €1.9 million a year.

Faced with the mammoth medical costs, her parents launched an SMS text message donation campaign. "If one in ten Belgians sends a text message, our daughter will stay alive," Pia's mother Ellen De Meyer told VTM Nieuws.

By sending "Pia" to the number 4666, €2 is donated from your mobile phone bill. Telecoms operators Proximus, Telent and Mobile Vikings have pledged to waive the commission they normally charge on premium-rate texts, meaning the full €2 goes to the appeal.

So far, more than 400,000 SMSs have been sent. Donations can also be made online via the website www.teampia.be

Written by The Bulletin