Good afternoon, my name is Dmitry Marinov, I'm 22 years old. I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma, mixed cell variant. At the time, I was in my 2 year of college at ONAPT and was involved in weightlifting. It all started with a small lump appearing on my neck. At first, it didn't bother me and wasn't visible, but over time, it started to hurt, especially when I worked out at the gym. So, about 4-5 months after it appeared, in February 2010 of the year, I went to the children's department in Slobodka. I was still 17 years old at the time. I underwent an examination there and was diagnosed with this disease. This, of course, was a blow to all my plans and to my life in general.

I refused treatment at the children's department and went to the National Cancer Institute in Kyiv, where I was examined again. I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma, mixed cell variant 2 stage AX. I completed a 3 course of chemotherapy using the ABVD regimen, after which I was sent to Moscow, to the A.N. Bakulev Scientific Center for Cardiovascular Surgery, Department of Nuclear Diagnostics, PET Center. This was 25.06.2010. The treatment wasn't very effective, the disease persisted, and I was told it might stay the same, or it might get worse. Hoping for the best, I decided not to continue the treatment. I felt great, started exercising again, but with a lighter touch, found a job, and combined it with my studies. Everything was great, but the happiness didn't last long.

After a year and a half, my condition began to worsen slightly. First, I experienced weight loss and constant fatigue, then a persistent fever, and by the beginning of the 2012 year, the symptoms were horrific. Not only had I lost more than 15 kg, I had a constant fever and had already started spitting up blood. On top of all this, I had severe shortness of breath and very severe tachycardia; at that point, I could barely move. The final straw was swelling of my legs, right at work. After that, I resigned and immediately went to the hematology department of the Odessa Regional Hospital. After tests and a biopsy, I was diagnosed with 4 stage B. My condition was critical; I was able to move independently, but with great difficulty. After the first round of COPP-ABV chemotherapy,  my condition began to improve, and I was prescribed polychemotherapy using the BEACOPP protocol, which I completed 7 courses. During treatment, my imaging and test results were encouraging. And then, after the 6th course, the CT scan showed complete remission, after which I underwent another 1 course according to the protocol, which I completed 26.09.12. Afterwards, I was referred for radiation therapy at this hospital. During the radiation, I experienced swelling in my cervical lymph nodes and several other unpleasant side effects, but according to the doctor, this is normal after such procedures. And so, after all the treatment, with faith in my recovery, I began my recovery from all the procedures, during which my appearance had changed in various ways, mainly due to hormones and baldness from the chemotherapy. But these seemed trivial, because the main thing was that I had survived and could move on with my life.

At the beginning of the 2013 year, more precisely in February, I had my first CT scan, which revealed a mass in my chest. It could still be the aftereffects of radiation, and I continued to recover from everything I had been through on an optimistic note. I was referred to Kyiv for a consultation at the Kyiv Bone Marrow Transplant Center, in the bone marrow transplant department. The conclusion was to perform a repeat lung biopsy to confirm the diagnosis, and only if no lesions were found would a bone marrow transplant be performed. This was 11.04.13.

After returning from Kyiv, a month later, my condition worsened – coughing up blood again, fever, and weight loss. A lung biopsy was necessary, which I had done in Slobodka, in the thoracic department of the Odessa Regional Oncology Center. Before the surgery, I was on an IV for a week, which stopped the bleeding. After the lung surgery, a biopsy was performed, and it was determined that the tissue was necrotic, but it had affected most of the left lung and could not be removed, meaning a bone marrow transplant was no longer an option. But since the tissue was necrotic, the test results were generally good and my condition was improving, so I could hope for the best. And that was indeed the case. I had another X-ray, and there was no change.

I got a job again, finished college, and got my bachelor's degree. But towards the end of the year, something went wrong. 01.01.14 My cervical lymph node became enlarged, and I started coughing up blood again. I quit my job again, got an X-ray, and it showed that my condition was getting worse. At this point, I had given up; I didn't want to do anything, I was apathetic to everything. I just sat at home for several months on painkillers, while my condition worsened, my lymph nodes grew, and ulcers appeared. I lost a lot of weight and could barely breathe due to wheezing. It was a nightmare.

In June 2014 I went to the Odessa Regional Hospital again. Given my condition and the unknown growth of my lymph nodes, I had another biopsy done, this time on my neck, and the diagnosis was confirmed: still Hodgkin's lymphoma, mixed cell variant 4 stage B. After that 26.08.14 I underwent one course of chemotherapy using the COPP-ABV regimen, after which I felt better, my lymph nodes shrank, and my condition improved. Then I was offered oral chemotherapy, the PEP-C regimen. My veins were already depleted and invisible, and each injection was very painful, so this option suited me. Since 09.14 I started taking oral chemotherapy and began to recover, my condition improved, and everything was great.

At the beginning of 2015 I had an X-ray done showing improvements from the chemotherapy, and from 09.03.15 I went on a break because my body needed to rest. I felt great for a few weeks, but then a fever developed, which required continuing the treatment and increasing the dosage. Now I need to take a two-month course of oral medication according to the same regimen, as the results are truly excellent.

We need your help to complete this course, as the medications are very expensive and we can't afford them. My mother works, I can't, and I have a younger sister who is still young. My mother won't be able to afford such expensive medications.

I've been battling my illness for 5 years now, and time flies, but I still believe that everything will get better! My dream is — to finally be healthy and free. I really want to see the world and bring a little goodness into it!

For ways to help, see here.