Our daughter, Yasenka, is only 1 one year and 8 months old. She spent a third of her life in a hospital bed.
In August 2018 of the year, tragedy struck our family. – Our child, our daughter Yasmina, fell ill. The first sign of illness was a common cold. Our whole family decided to visit relatives in the neighboring region, at the seaside. On the very first day, without having seen the sea, Yasya fell ill (fever, chills). Without thinking twice, we headed to the Belgorod-Dnistrovsky District Hospital. There, after a doctor's examination, our child was diagnosed with a cold and we were sent home for outpatient treatment. That evening, my daughter felt ill. We were taken by ambulance to the Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi District Hospital, where we were hospitalized but discharged the next morning with a diagnosis of acute respiratory viral infection. The next day, we returned to our hometown, Tatarbunary, and after our arrival, my daughter felt ill again. We went to the Tatarbunary District Hospital, where we were admitted to the infectious diseases department, and 10 we spent days treating a sore throat. My daughter's condition worsened, and we begged for a referral to Odessa.
We went to the Odessa Regional Children's Clinical Hospital, where we were admitted to the oncohematology department with suspected cancer. For a month, Yasmina took tests, an examination, and 12 In September, our daughter was discharged with a diagnosis of secondary neutropenia (immune problems) for outpatient treatment.
Our story didn't end there. In November, we discovered a swelling on Yasya's cheek and consulted a pediatric dentist, who referred us to the Odessa Institute of Dentistry. The institute couldn't determine a diagnosis and performed a mini-surgery. The test showed a suspicion of cancer.
We re-ran the IHC test. While we were waiting for the results, we discovered a hard mass on our child's abdomen. We went to the Tatarbunary District Hospital. The doctors said there was nothing wrong, just weakened abdominal muscles. We had an ultrasound at a private diagnostic center. They found a cystic mass on her left ovary, larger than 10 cm. We got a referral from the district hospital and 10 in December, we went to E «Okhmatdet», where Yasya was admitted to the pediatric surgery department. After a CT scan, we were referred to the National Cancer Institute with a suspected cancer. An MRI didn't confirm anything, but they did find 4 tumors. They performed surgery and removed the left ovary with the tumor. The tumor remained on her right ovary and spine. The Cancer Institute also found several tumors on her gums, which turned out to be metastases. At the Research Institute of Pediatrics, Yasmina was diagnosed with T-lymphoma and referred for treatment to the oncohematology department in Odessa (there is no pediatric hematology department at the Research Institute of Pediatrics). The oncohematology department at the Regional Children's Regional Clinical Hospital began preparing for treatment for the lymphoma, but the attending physician and the head of the department doubted the diagnosis.
A day later, the results arrived from a private laboratory in Kyiv (the test was taken to double-check the diagnosis of the Cancer Institute doctors). These results revealed a completely different diagnosis for Yasmina. The diagnosis was double-checked at Okhmatdet, confirmed, and treatment was begun. The diagnosis was – extramedullary myelosarcoma with ovarian, gum, and spinal lesions. This is blood cancer, but a very rare and aggressive form. After the first round of chemotherapy, the tumor on her right ovary shrank by 95%, but the complications were so serious that the next round was postponed for almost a month. We are now undergoing a second round of chemotherapy, also intensive. With this diagnosis, a bone marrow transplant from an unrelated donor is an absolute indication. Such surgeries are not performed in Ukraine. Three foreign clinics refused treatment (each for their own reasons). The University Hospital of Verona (Italy) agreed to treat Yasya. They opened a medical record (No. 170-2019) and billed her for the BMT in – 125 000 EUR (to date, the parents have raised 1 619 555 UAH). A call for treatment will be made after 100% payment of the invoice. 11 In March, we sent Yasmina's blood to Italy for HLA – typing and donor search, and paid for the procedure (5 000 EUR). After chemotherapy is completed and remission is achieved, we cannot wait a single day. This disease is very unstable in remission; it always affects the bone marrow, and then the prognosis is bleak. The transplant must be done before the bone marrow is damaged. Then our daughter will live!
We are asking for your help in raising funds. Please help us save our child!
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