I, Nykyta Yuriiovych Tormozov, appeal to you with a plea for help. I understand that in such a hard time for our country you are approached by thousands of citizens of Odesa and the Odesa region, displaced people among them. But believe me, I too want to live a full life, in spite of my diagnosis — ACUTE LEUKAEMIA. I am losing my last hope of understanding and help from my own state. I am trying to open doors of reinforced concrete; I ask for help from everyone who really can help. I cannot accept that I have a chance of being cured, a chance to go on LIVING, LOVING, WORKING, and that for want of an ENORMOUS SUM OF MONEY I may lose all of it. To the shame of us all, an ordinary Ukrainian cannot cope financially with such a misfortune.

I am from the city of Donetsk, a displaced person. I graduated from the Odesa National Medical University in 2016. I am now an intern doctor, a dentist. I am 24 years old. Because of the political conflict in the Donbas, in 2014 I transferred to Odesa to continue my studies. Before my illness I worked as an intern at the 411 military hospital in Odesa and at the University's dental clinic, department 3 (32 Mechnikova Street). I was completely absorbed in my beloved profession.

For 5 months now the words «Nykyta has acute leukaemia» have burst unexpectedly into my life and into the awareness of my family, my dear ones and my friends. At first I did not believe it, did not understand that it had happened to me. I thought there must have been some mistake. It turned out there was not…

As a person who has graduated from a medical university, I understand how complex the process of treatment is and how important it is to follow the doctors' instructions.

Thank the Lord God that in this hard and terrible time people with kind hearts have been sent to us; I bow low to them all! From the very first days of our misfortune we have been supported by people we know and people we do not, from all over the world. It is only thanks to their concern and help that I am being treated by qualified doctors. When you meet such a situation in life, you come to understand a great deal. I have realised that the world is not without kind people, and that they are the great majority.

Thanks to my family and those close to me I did not let myself give up in those first days; I saw in their eyes an enormous wish to help. Then I said to myself, I WILL DO THIS, whatever happens''. So far I have been through 4 courses of chemotherapy; my condition today is stable and I am in remission. The doctors have said that, because of the high risk of relapse, I need a bone marrow transplant. The search for a donor has begun at the Turkish clinic Medical Park. For the bone marrow transplant 120 thousand $ is needed (one hundred and twenty thousand dollars, according to the invoice of the Turkish clinic «Medical Park»).

The President of Ukraine has signed Law No. 6600, under which the Ministry of Health of Ukraine allocates an additional 186 million UAH for the treatment of Ukrainian patients abroad. However, this money was enough only for some of the patients (47 people) who had been in the Ministry's queue until April 2017. I was registered in the Ministry's queue in June 2017. Sadly, the additional money allocated was not enough for my treatment (a bone marrow transplant)!

My mother, Tetiana Avhustivna Nazarenko, and the parents of cancer patients who need treatment abroad, stood outside the Ministry of Health building on 7 August 2017 begging the officials to fund everyone in the queue (72 people in all as of today). But, to the shame of us all, not one of the officials has yet spoken to these people or explained the situation.

There are days when the fear of losing everything and of letting down everyone who believes in me makes my eyes close and my heart seem to stop… and then I say to myself: «You must be strong, you will cope, you have no other choice». The doctors tell us that leukaemia can be beaten with the right treatment. I pray and thank God for every day given to me.

To the shame and regret of us all, Turkey can help patients with such a diagnosis, and my beloved Ukraine cannot!

I love my country, my LAND, very much. Everything that is happening in my beloved Donetsk is repugnant and unacceptable to me. Every minute I BELIEVE that the lawlessness going on in the Donbas will end before long.

I ask you not to leave my letter of appeal without attention; I shall be grateful and thankful to you for your attention and for taking part in solving my problem.

Misfortune brings good people together.

With respect to you, Nykyta Tormozov.

For the ways you can help, see here.