Ilia State University Students Raise Over 1 Million GEL in Three Days for Children With Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
By Messenger Staff
Monday, May 25, 2026
A fundraising campaign launched by students from Ilia State University raised over 1 million GEL in under three days for children diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, as the Georgian Dream government continues to resist parents' calls for access to newer medications.
Students from "Protect Iliauni," an initiative opposing controversial education reforms set to gut Ilia State University, launched the campaign on the evening of May 20 with an initial goal of 100,000 GEL, running non-stop social media livestreams to cover urgent needs including wheelchairs, adapted vehicles, and respiratory equipment. "When the state does not take responsibility for the children's lives and health, or for bringing the necessary medication into the country, the engagement of citizens is crucial," they said.
By early May 23, the campaign had surpassed 1 million GEL, drawing support from the public, businesses, publishers, prominent public figures, and senior Orthodox clergy. As part of the drive, students also traveled more than four hours to Kobuleti in the Adjara region to deliver birthday gifts to 12-year-old Mate Verulidze, a child living with the disease.
Around 100 children in Georgia are reported to live with DMD, a rare genetic muscle-wasting disease primarily affecting boys. Symptoms typically appear between ages 2 and 5, with loss of mobility by age 10 and early mortality usually between ages 25 and 30.
For over a year, parents of children with DMD have been demanding government funding for newer medications such as givinostat and vamorolone, approved or conditionally approved by leading drug agencies and used in Western countries. On April 20, they began non-stop round-the-clock rallies outside the government administration building in Tbilisi, holding regular Sunday marches as well.
Georgian Dream officials have voiced scepticism about the newer treatments, arguing evidence of their effectiveness is insufficient. Irakli Kobakhidze said on May 19 that the government had a responsibility to spend budget money "rationally" and estimated annual treatment costs at around GEL 50 million, questioning whether such spending would "simply enrich the pharmaceutical mafia." Parents and critics strongly condemned the remarks as misleading and insensitive.
On May 19, newly enthroned Patriarch Shio III met with parents after their repeated requests, with the Church expressing readiness to help find a solution. Students and supporters have also been collecting signatures on a petition calling on authorities to fund newer treatments.
