MEDIA: Kye Fights for Sight

Kye Portelli is a 15-year-old boy, living in Tuart Hill, Western Australia. Kye was living a fairly normal life, and apart from struggling to see at night, was completely fine. This is up until June this year, when during the NAPLAN test, Kye’s sight began to trouble him.

Kye’s mother Jeana took him to get his eyes tested, and he was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa, a genetic condition where the retina, located at the back of the eye, starts to degenerate slowly and progressively. Although there is no cure, there are treatments in America that could help Kye.

Two of Jeana’s friends, Carolyn and Natascha, created a mycause campaign to raise money to send Kye and Jeana to California, where Kye can be prescribed vitamins and undergo micro therapy to hopefully maintain his sight for longer.

Travelling for his treatment will also allow Kye to live his dream and see more of the world before his sight deteriorates.

The mycause campaign has received support from friends and the Tuart Hill community, having already raised over $11,000. Hopefully Kye will continue experiencing this generosity and raise the $30,000 he needs for his travel and treatment expenses.

Read more of Kye’s story at the Stirling Times.