Pluto's artwork is made from salvaged and recycled materials.
Pluto, the cat in Edgar Allan Poe's "The Black Cat", inspired the first piece of art. He also reflects the literary nature of many pieces.
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Because most art materials are salvaged and/or recycled, inventory changes and covers a variety of mediums.
85% of proceeds go toward helping children with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). 5.5% goes to emergency aid. 9.5% covers Etsy fees.*
*Etsy charges sellers: 6.5% of the total cost as a platform fee, 3% + $0.25 for payment processing, and $0.20 for posting goods.
At this time and in collaboration with the nonprofit Varvara - Future for Children e.V., most proceeds go toward helping children who suffer from Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), a genetic disease that affects the central nervous system. SMA is the most common genetic cause of mortality in infants, causing progressive muscle weakness that affects eating, breathing, and basic mobility. Treatments exist, but depending on a child's location and means, they are either unavailable (unapproved by regulators) or prohibitively expensive. In addition, 5.5% of each purchase goes to Doctors without Borders to support broader medical care for those in need.
All artwork is accompanied by information about the SMA child being supported.
Each purchase supports a specific child with SMA, mainly through Varvara. All artwork is accompanied by information about the child being supported, and each child's case has been reviewed for support by the representative nonprofit. Meet some of the children below. All children are listed here.
Fatma Zehra Dag
Zehra was born on 12/10/2021 in Marmaris, Turkey, where she lives with her family. She battles SMA through daily exercises, but her muscles continue to weaken. As of May 17, 2023, 47% of required funds had been raised.
Cennet Su AteÅŸ
Cennet was born on 14.11.2021 in Izmir, Turkey. She was diagnosed with SMA when she was 3.5 years old. As of May 25, 2023, 4% of required funds had been raised.
Sümeyye Kurtalış
Sumeyye was born on March 14th, 2019 in Turkey. Due to SMA, she has suffered a scoliosis, her chest is deformed, and her left lung is no longer functional. She must reach 100% by December 2023 for government approval in Turkey. As of May 25, 2023, fundraising was at 60%.
You buy a piece of art to beautify your space.
9.5% of proceeds cover Etsy fees.
5.5% of proceeds go to Doctors without Borders.
85% of proceeds go to a child with SMA, mostly through Varvara .
Varvara (or the representative nonprofit) holds funds until the necessary total is achieved. Funds are then paid directly toward the child's treatment.
Doctors without Borders utilizes the funds to provide medical assistance in 72 countries.
How exactly are proceeds used?
5.5% of each purchase goes to Doctors without Borders, a nonprofit that provides emergency medical assistance to those in need worldwide. The charity has a score of 91%, and 85% of their donations go directly medical care.
85% of each purchase goes to a designated child, most supported by Varvara. The nonprofit collects and holds donations for payment toward each child's medical expenses rather than distributing funds directly to the family or guardian. In the case of SMA, they are often working alongside other charities to fundraise for treatment with Zolgensma, a one-time, gene-therapy medication. If tragedy befalls a child before treatment can be administered, they redirect the funds toward another child's treatment.
What is Zolgensma?
Zolgensma is the treatment that many SMA children and their families are seeking. It is a gene-therapy medication "given through an intravenous (IV) infusion that takes about an hour. It is a one-time treatment. [It] is an SMN-enhancing therapy that works by replacing the function of the missing or nonworking SMN1 gene with a new, working copy of an SMN gene" (Cure SMA). Its effectiveness can be life-changing.
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Zolgensma was approved for use in the U.S. in 2019, and various other countries have followed. It is not approved in every country. Ex) India hasn't approved the treatment, which is why organizations like Cure SMA India focus on Risdiplam, an oral medication that helps mitigate the effects of SMA. In countries where Zolgensma is approved, rules of access also vary. For instance, children are only eligible for treatment until two years of age in the U.S., whereas weight is the criteria in European countries.
Zolgensma is very promising in fighting SMA, but is also extremely expensive, costing $1.8+ million. In situations where costs aren't covered by the healthcare system, families are left desperately trying to fundraise. If you don't believe that families should need to publicize a child's suffering or depend on the kindness of strangers in order to receive medical treatment, I agree. Better and more equitable solutions exist, but for now, many families have no choice.
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Here are some articles on different sides of the issue:
OTHER TREATMENTS
DEBATING COST
RECEIVING TREATMENT
RECEIVING TREATMENT
"A family that raised $2 million for their baby’s life-saving medical treatment has received it for free," Oct 25, 2020
"Medical Crowdfunding’s Dark Side," Oct 23, 2018
Do the fundraising odds seem daunting? They are, but be confident that your contribution makes a difference.
Lina from Turkey successfully closed fundraising and flew to Dubai for treatment in Summer 2022. Her mobility has already greatly improved. Before Zolgensma, she couldn't lift toys on her own. Now she can!
Lina Culha,
SMA Type 1
Anri from Russia successfully fundraised for Zolgensma and received treatment in Dubai in December 2022. Travel to Dubai was necessary since Zolgensma was still undergoing approval in Russia.
Anri Surmanidze
SMA Type 1
Sonia from Ukraine gathered 90.2% of required funds before health insurance agreed to cover her treatment in Freiburg im Breisgau. The fundraised money was accordingly distributed to other SMA children.
Sonia Koval
SMA Type 1-2
Click here to see an ongoing list of children who have reached 100%.
And who exactly is this Pluto again?
He's the cat from Edgar Allan Poe's "The Black Cat." Poe is a favorite for inspiration here. If you're actually asking about me, the site owner and artist, I'm someone who stumbled across an SMA post on social media. The case tugged my heart, but clicking down the rabbit hole quickly became overwhelming----Would my donation really make a difference? So many children deserve help, but I can't donate to all of them. What now? What if some of the fundraisers are scams? How can I know that donations go toward treatment? If I donate, am I unwittingly supporting faulty systems?
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Artwork is my small contribution to increasing donations, and working with Varvara ensures transparency. This site is also an effort to spread SMA awareness and make donation decisions manageable for people who might not otherwise donate. Doctors without Borders is acknowledgment that many children are suffering from medical conditions far less expensive to treat than SMA.
