Childhood should be joyful, a magical time filled with love and laughter and happy, memory-making adventures, big and small. It should be. It quite often isn't. Childhood for Aiva and Tatym Stapf has been anything but. They have both been diagnosed with a rare, genetic disease which more than likely will rob them of not only large portions of their youth, but inevitably, their adulthood.

This rare condition (approximately 100 cases in the world) is usually diagnosed in infancy and causes a large number of intellectual and developmental difficulties and the symptoms are exacerbated as children age.

Taija Rezac and her fiance Avram Stapf both gave up steady incomes to be with Tatym (their youngest girl) in the Twin Cities as she recovers from a bone marrow transplant. In addition to their two beautiful girls, Taija and Avram are also busy raising their other two children.

Needless to say finances are weighing heavy on their minds, as well as the health of their two precious children, so to help ease their situation just a bit, Taija's aunt, Denise Freeman and Taija's friend, Brittani Kintzi have organized a fundraiser on Saturday, July 16, 2016, from 2 to 6 PM at Fresh Horses Saloon on main street in Harrisburg, South Dakota.

There will be a bean bag tourney, silent auction, 50/50 raffle, food and other fun activities. If you'd like more information or to donate, contact Denise Freeman at 605-212-8637, Brittani Kintzi at 605-321-2602 or check out the GoFundMe account which has been set up for the family.

Sources include: Britanni Kintzi and the Argus Leader

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