Four-year-old Sven Mifsud already knows that when he grows up he wants to be a doctor so that he can help cure children, like him, who suffer from rare medical conditions.
On his birthday, on Christmas Eve, he received a gift that will boost his chances by helping him and his 26-year-old single mother Tracy to cope with rising expenses brought about by his condition.
He was nominated as the beneficiary of the Rotaract Malta La Valette Charity Trust Fund that contains the initial sum of €10,000, donated by an anonymous foreign benefactor, and which fund will now be open to donations from the public.
His condition, called Proteus syndrome, involves the disproportionate overgrowth of his left leg and he will have to undergo several operations throughout his life.
As he sprints through his living room, climbing onto sofas and rolling on the carpet with a toy gun in hand, it takes a while to notice that Sven's left leg is bigger than his right one and his left foot is amputated. He is a lively child who, like many his age, is restless and has a bruise in the middle of his forehead to prove it.
"I admire his courage. He's a real fighter," says his mother with a sparkle in her eyes as she gazes at her son trying on a Liverpool cap he received for Christmas. His Christmas wish this year was to go and see his favourite team play.
When Sven was born on Christmas Eve four years ago, his mother immediately realised that something was wrong with his left leg and that his foot was larger than normal.
When he was about four months old he was diagnosed with Proteus syndrome that had never been detected in a Maltese person before. Only about 120 cases have been diagnosed worldwide.
As Sven grew, his left leg and foot started to outgrow him. It became difficult for him to carry the weight of his large foot and when he was about 18 months old it had to be amputated.
Two years ago, Rotaract Malta La Valette launched a campaign to raise awareness about his condition and raise the funds which his mother needs to cope with increasing expenses.
Next month, Sven will have to undergo an operation on his left knee to straighten his leg. This will be one in a series of operations to keep his condition in check. When he turns 21, he may even need an amputation.
The trust fund, the first joint initiative between Rotaract Malta La Valette and Rotary Club La Valette, will help Sven and his mother with expenses that range from buying special trousers and shoes that fit Sven's leg to buying a prosthesis leg costing about €40,000 in the future.
While Sven is the first beneficiary of the trust fund, others who are seriously in need of assistance can be nominated to become beneficiaries of the fund during its 50-year duration. By its very nature, a trust fund ensures that all money donated will be received by the beneficiaries and used for the proper cause.
Anyone interested in donating money to the trust fund can do so through any HSBC branch by asking for the account called Rotaract Malta La Valette Trust Fund.