PHOTO: 300 Bikers Help Young Matija

300 bikers gathered in Novska today to help the sick boy Matija Vidas. The sum of 35,000 kunas has been raised so far.

For seven years already, Matija Vidas has been fighting the rare, severe disease, juvenile chronic arthritis, which is destroying not only his bones, but also other organs, and hindering his proper development. At ten years of age, Matija is only 103 cm tall, which is far below average in his peer group.

Because he likes motorcycles, he wished for one for his birthday. Consequently, bikers from all over Croatia started a campaign in order to grant the boy's wish. Within a week, a sum of 35,000 kunas was raised and, along with the money, he also got a miniature four-wheel motorcycle along with equipment. See the PHOTO GALLERY.

The Croatian Institute for Health Insurance does not cover the costs for the treatment of this disease, so Matija's case is not provided for by the law. For this reason, the boy who suffers intense pain and takes a dozen different kinds of medicine every day, has no right to be tutored at home.

The overjoyed boy did not conceal his exhilaration and thrill, along with his mother and grandmother, whom this money will relieve of their treatment-related financial problems at least for a while. The best thing of all was seeing more than 300 bikers from all over Croatia who came to show support to Matija and thus bring the attention of the government and the public to this rare, vicious disease.

Matija is a very good fourth grade pupil and he is very popular among his peers, even though he spends most of the time at hospital.