Cancer Kids Ukraine

It looked as if everything was going to be all right. Zahar almost completed the next block of chemotherapy. We were going to send his blood samples to Israel. But… all of a sudden he got pneumonia and pulmonary edema. On December 31, in the morning, Zahar passed away. It is so difficult to write about it. How can we choose the right words? For the last several months Zahar and his family were living with hope. They hoped to raise the money and perform the bone marrow transplantation for Zahar in Israel. It would give the boy a chance to life. However, Zahar’s organism got too weak after the chemotherapy and couldn’t fight the infections and viruses any more. The boy passed away without recovering the consciousness.

From the archives

Zahar Balym, second relapse of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (combined type), DOB September 3, 2000

Genetic problems with Zahar’s bone marrow cause repeated relapses of the leukemia. New bone marrow will give this boy a chance to live. Here is a letter from Zahar’s mother, Oxana. “Zahar was growing up as a regular kid up to the age of two. He even surpassed his peers in certain things. He was a healthy child. We were so happy to have this little gentle boy in our family and loved him so much. When Zahar turned two years old, he went to the daycare center falling sick with acute respiratory infections and bronchitis very frequently. When sick, he had very high fever and low blood count. Then Zahar started complaining about pain in his legs and armpits. He would also have fever up to 40C without any symptoms of the cold. On September 19, 2003, the blood test showed 29% of blasts and he was diagnozed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Zahar was admitted to the hematology department of the regional children’s hospital in Zaporozhye. He had to go through so much pain and suffering. Our child couldn’t understand what was going on… All those punctures, endless tests, chemotherapy and the side effects it had on his vision, knee joints, and liver. He had to start learning how to walk again when he was three and a half years old. The treatment was over in September 2005. He didn’t have any problems with the bone marrow any more. All he needed was rehabilitation and treatment for virus hepatitis B + C. On September 28, 2006 the blood test showed 65% of blast cells in his blood and 85% of blast cells in his blone marrow. Zahar was diagnozed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, first early bone marrow relapse. This time the treatment had to be more serious. But Zahar completed it as well. In September 2009, he was admitted to the hospital again with the second relapse of combined acute lymphoblastic leukemia. It was caused by the genetic problems with his bone marrow. The doctors say the only treatment that may be effective is an allogenic bone marrow transplant (Zahar’s brother, Mathew, didn’t match him as a donor). As you may know, the Ukrainian hospitals do not perform allogenic bone marrow transplantations. It can be done only abroad. The cost of this procedure starts from 107,000 EURO (in Israel). We ask you for help.”

You can reach Zahar’s mother Oxana at  +38 066 715 09 13