The family home of Mihdi Brock, the Bermudian boy suffering from curvature of the spine, was torn apart by thieves last week.

The burglary was made all the more devastating by the fact that the thieves stole the family's computer, which Mihdi's father, Marvin Brock, uses for all the fundraising work related to the Mihdi Joon Fund, the fund established to help pay for Mihdi's treatment. Expenses for Mihdi's care are upwards of $75,000 per year.

"We had thought we were safe behind our locked door," Mr. Brock said in a press statement from his Los Angeles home. "But now we know that this was a false security when all it took to breach it was someone putting his shoulder to the door in the middle of the afternoon.

"I need to be able to get somewhere safer for my children to live just as soon as possible. We don't feel safe here anymore. Mihdi is extremely distressed by what has happened and will be receiving counselling from the psychologist at his school as he can talk about nothing else except that his things were taken.

"At the same time, I am very thankful that no one was home or harmed in the incident."

The family was unable to afford to stay in a hotel the night of the burglary because the money was needed for Mihdi's treatment. "Unfortunately, to date, the fund has not had enough resources to deal with a crisis situation such as this, or to ensure that they could live in a safer style of apartment building," the press release stated. "The apartments are directly accessible from the street, and the thieves were able to invade two apartments before fleeing."

Those interested in helping can make a contribution to the Mihdi Joon Fund (Bermuda Registered Charity 547), P.O. Box HM 1987, Hamilton, HM HX.

More information on Mihdi and the Mihdi Joon Fund can be found on his website at www.thelotus.com.