2 September 2010 our youngest son, Ivan (born – 1 November 2006 ), was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, FAB variant L1, common-ALL. Shock, pain, despair...
Vanechka was treated at the Nikolaev Regional Children's Hospital. 10 months of hospitalization, dozens of chemotherapy courses, anesthesia, punctures, head radiation, and 1,5 years of chemotherapy pills. Vanya bravely endured all the treatments. The results were encouraging. We hoped we had already overcome this terrible disease. Vanya went to kindergarten, then went to school, and took up freestyle wrestling.
But 25 February 2015 Vanechka was admitted to intensive care, half his body paralyzed. The child was unresponsive to others, 3 was in serious condition for days. The diagnosis sounded like a death sentence: combined (bone marrow + CNS) relapse of acute lymphoblastic leukemia, common-ALL type, neuroleukemia.
And again, the ground slipped from under his feet. So many unanswered questions... My son had up to 20 epileptic seizures a day. Doctors were able to stop these seizures thanks to medications that Vanya is still taking. He underwent arduous treatment — six anti-relapse blocks, after which a bone marrow transplant was necessary. Such surgeries aren't performed in Ukraine, so in July 2015 Vanya and I flew to the clinic ''Bambino Gesu'' (Rome, Italy) for a life-saving bone marrow transplant. Due to a positive MRD, Vanya also underwent 2 immunotherapy and 14 in November 2015 a stem cell transplant from his father.
Everything went well, and six months later we returned to Ukraine. We lived a normal life. Vanya went to school and started doing mental arithmetic and kickboxing. The whole family went to the seaside, to go fishing. Vanya came twice to the winners' celebration in Odessa at the invitation of the charitable foundation "Little Bee". The illness was remembered as something terrible and irrevocably gone...
Almost four years after the transplant, 17 September 2019 Vanya became ill during training. The examination yielded shocking results — a second combined (CM＋CNS) relapse of leukemia... Words cannot describe our condition, much less Ivan's... After all, he's already a teenager and perceives everything differently than he did as a child... But we gathered all our strength, faith, hope, and love and accepted fate's challenge.
In Nikolaev, the doctors didn't have a precise treatment plan for Vanya, as they had no experience with therapy in cases of relapse after a bone marrow transplant . So, thanks to kind people, 25 we flew to the clinic ''Bambino Gesu'' (Rome, Italy) on September 1. Here Ivan is undergoing immunotherapy. The results are good, but he still has difficult and lengthy treatment ahead. The clinic has billed 40000 euro, which must be paid for further treatment. Our family doesn't have that kind of money. We have a year-old son, who is finishing his 16 year-old son this year graduating from his 11 year-old year-old son. Previously, only the father worked, at the moment he is with us in Rome and cannot work. We hope for help from caring people, of whom, we believe, there are many!
With gratitude and hope, the Krasnozhen family.
For ways to help, see here.
13.07.2020
Yesterday, after 10 years of battling illness, Vanya passed away...
Thank you to everyone who helped, supported, and was there for him.
25.03.2020
Good afternoon everyone.
Yesterday we were just discharged from the hospital. The transplant went according to plan. 5 It was very difficult. During the conditioning phase, Vanya contracted influenza A, a high fever, runny nose, and cough. Just as he was starting to recover, he contracted norovirus. Two weeks of vomiting and bloody diarrhea. Then – the flu again... And all this in the "sterile" unit... A month without food, on intravenous nutrition and morphine due to severe abdominal pain. Vanya lost 11 kg. They stabilized his condition with a hormone, which Vanya is still taking. Plus, there are still 15 medications. He can barely walk. The only good news is that my bone marrow has engrafted and is functioning well! A nurse will come to our hotel this evening and connect an IV for the night. In the morning, she'll disconnect it, and we'll go to the day hospital clinic for a checkup. Judging by Vanya's condition now, rehabilitation will be long. But we hope it's successful!
Thank you for your support and help!
Sincerely, Vanya Krasnozhen's family.
28.01.2020
Good afternoon everyone!
Today we received a message from Vanya Krasnozhen's mother: «Good afternoon! Today, the German foundation sent us a letter of guarantee for 10000 euro. We are closing the fundraiser. We had tests today, and everything is fine. We are first in line for a transplant. As soon as a spot becomes available, we will be hospitalized. We are waiting.
Thank you very much to the foundation and to you personally for your help and support!».
The fundraiser is closed!
Thank you so much to everyone who responded and helped Vanya!
15.01.2020
Good afternoon everyone!
I've been waiting for information about our hospitalization, but we don't know the date yet. Vanya and I have undergone tests for the transplant. The donor is still unknown. On Friday, Vanya is having follow-up punctures with the administration of chemotherapy into his spine. If everything is clear, within a few days my son will be admitted for a transplant. That's what the new transplant doctor said, to whom we were transferred a week ago. Vanya won't have full-body radiation; it can be done only once in his life; my son already had it done last time. Right now, they'll only administer chemotherapy for conditioning.
I 4 January sent a letter to the German foundation. We're waiting for a response.
I contacted the regional council and the "Turbota"program, and they transferred us 500000 UAH. This is almost half of the required amount. I hope the German foundation will provide us with some assistance, and we'll be able to close the account.
Thank you all for your help and support!
Sincerely, the Krasnozhen family.
17.12.2019
Good afternoon!
13 The last course of immunotherapy was completed on December. 30 A puncture will be performed on December, and an action plan will be determined based on the results. Most likely, another transplant. We are awaiting information from the German foundation next week.
With gratitude and hope, the Krasnozhen family.
Aid provided - 50 500,00 UAH:
| Date |
Type of aid |
Amount, UAH |
| 25.11.2019 |
Charitable donation for medical treatment |
28 000,00 |
| 24.12.2019 |
Charitable donation for medical treatment |
20 000,00 |
| 04.02.2020 |
Charitable donation for medical treatment |
2 500,00 |
