Very good news!
Friday, January 29th, 2010
Yaroslav Romanov completed the treatment that lasted for nine months. He experienced everything – complications after the chemotherapy, inflammation of the intestines, problems with hormones and fungus. But it’s all in the past. Now Yaroslav is at home with his family. We would like to say thank you to everyone who had been helping this boy. Yaroslav was regularly receiving financial support from a number of people. He wouldn’t be able to complete the treatment without their help because he comes from a low-income family. The success story of this boy shows that there are a lot of kind and compassionate people in this world. Thank you very much! May God bless you.
Vlad Krylov has finally completed his treatment at the hospital. Now he is going home! No, I would rather say he is running home at the highest possible speed. Vlad was looking forward to this day. He knew he would go home soon. That’s why he didn’t bother waiting for the clown’s question about a boy who had completed the treatment. Vlad simply jumped off the chair with his hands up in the air and cried out, “It’s me! It’s me!!!” We would like to wish good health to this boy and his mother. Money can buy the rest of things. 
Alexandra Radzyvilyuk completed the fourth year of her studies at school. Now she has access to the Internet at home. She even has her personal page. My heart rejoiced when I saw a number of pictures on her page signed, “I am a graduate,” “We are at home,” “View from my window,” etc. Thank you God for everything! We are also thankful to everyone who was helping this family. Just to remind you, Alexandra had acute myeloblastosis and was undergoing treatment for almost two years. 
On June 1, Daniel Ignatenko came to the hospital for a routine checkup. He grew up but remained a serious and not very sociable boy, just the way he was during the treatment. He got excited only when I said hello to him from Eugene, who helped Daniel financially at the very end of his treatment. Things are going well with Daniel. He is in grade 3 now. His favorite subjects are the Ukrainian and Russian languages as well as the computer science. He really likes computers. Nothing special has been happening to Daniel. His life is gradually becoming normal. We hope that Daniel will eventually forget all the painful experiences he had at the hospital. 
On May 7, 2009, I met Artyom Orishaka, who used to be a patient at the children’s oncohematology department of the regional hospital in Kiev. He had malignant granulomatosis. I will remind you his story. Artyom’s mother died of cancer in 2005. The court removed the parenthood from his father, who was an alcoholic. Last time I met Artyom about 10 months ago. Now he looks much older and taller. He is finishing school and working (he changes ads on the billboards). This year he is planning to enter the university, most likely the Technical University in Kiev. But his dream is to be a schoolteacher. When I asked Artyom, “What do you usually do in your spare time?” He replied, “I spend time with my friends, go to the dancing halls, but I neither drink nor smoke.” Then I asked him, “Are you dating?” Artyom said, “Of course, I do!” 
We had a graduate last week – Lera Sharalova. Thanks to the volunteers from various Ukrainian regions, she was getting the difficult-to-get Cosmegen, as well as the rest of medications, in time. All through the second half of her treatment, Lera was emotionally sound. That’s all we have to say for now. We hope Lera will be coming back to the hospital in Kherson only for the regular check-ups. The present Lera got was donated by Tatyana Voronina, a volunteer from Kiev, and Alla from Italy. 
Yesterday, Dima Balla, a big lover of horses and agricultural machines, came to the hospital in Kherson for a follow-up. We don’t have a chance to meet the children from villages too often after they are discharged from the hospitals because they come to the hospitals only every second weeks very early in the morning. They usually come go to the laboratory and don’t go upstairs where the doctors’ offices are located, if everything is all right. That’s why I had a chance to meet Dima only a couple of times after he completed the intensive chemotherapy. He really grew up, although he is still just as playful as he used to be. When I asked him about what he was doing at home, he said, “Nothing special. I play outside all the time.” 
The time is just flying by. It has been two years since Roman Sytnik completed the intensive course of chemotherapy. The doctors at the intensive care unit in Kherson literally saved his life when Roman was in critical condition. Last Thursday, Roman completed the supporting therapy. He came up to me, when I was visiting other children at the hospital, to say hello. I couldn’t recognize him because he was wearing a mask. Besides, I remembered Roman as a little kid with no hair on his head, who could barely speak. So, I answered, “Hello. And who are you? What is your name?” A nurse helped me out and said, “It’s Roman Sytnik. Don’t you recognize him?!” Roman agreed to have some pictures taken. He took my hand and led me to his mother Lena, who was waiting by the entrance. 
A really warm and sunny spring has finally come to Lvov together with the wonderful and long-awaited news – Roksolana Molodnyak was discharged from the hospital! Now all her pain, tears, fears, and worries are left behind. Both Roksolana and her mother have been waiting for this day for so long. Now Roksolana is at home. Her mother said, “We have won together. It’s your victory as well.” Roksolana and Lilia, her mother, say thank you to everyone who was helping them with money, presents, words of encouragement, and prayers. There were a lot of people who were helping them. That’s why Roksolana had only one way out – to overcome her mean disease. Now she can have rest. We will come and see her one day. 
On February 18, Daniel Krysko had his “graduate party.” He spent more than a year at the hospital. He knows what surgery, chemotherapy, injections, IV, and pills mean not by hearsay. Now he is free! Daniel can go back home to his father, mother, and racing. 
Today Cyril Isakov finished his treatment at the National Cancer Institute in Kiev. He is going back home to Donetsk. Cyril and his mother Svetlana (on the left) say thank you to his doctor Shaida Elena and to all the medical staff for everything they have done to bring Cyril back to normal life. She also says thank you to Larisa Lavrenyuk and to the charity fund “KRAB” for supporting the children staying at the National Cancer Institute. She says thank you to all the good-hearted people who donated money for Cyril’s treatment. It took almost a year for Cyril to complete his treatment. Cyril and his mother can still remember the first days of their stay at the hospital – mold on the walls, disgusting linen, lack of medications and so on. 
Masha Uschuk and her mother enjoyed being back home so much, after spending many months at the hospital, that they forgot to show up for their own “graduation party”, even though they promised to come after having all the analyses done. We have been waiting for them for two months. Finally, we were able to reach them by phone. Today we organized the “graduation party” for the kids who have been discharged from the hospital on February 15 or later. 
Last week Zahar Botsman came to Kherson for a follow-up. They didn’t plan to stay at the hospital but after Zahar’s mother told the doctor that her son lost appetite a few days ago, the doctor suggested that the boy should stay at the hospital for a few days to have some analyses done. Fortunately, the results of the analyses have shown remission, good blood count, and satisfactory health status in general. Since Zahar spent a couple of days at the hospital, I was able to talk to him and his mother. His life at home now is quite challenging. 
On January 13, 2009, Nadya had a control punch. The results of the punch were good – Nastya is healthy 
Last Saturday I visited Nastya and her parents in the town of Skvir in Kiev region. As soon as her mother and me came into the house, Nastya ran to us all excited about showing some new coloring books she had got from her father. Then she got a little bit shy and ran to her room to color the pictures in the coloring books. While Alla, Nadya’s mother, was cooking dinner for us, I put some presents for Nastya on the table. I brought her a couple of coloring books, crayons, felt pens, and a doll. 
One more child has completed treatment at the oncohematology department – Vika. She spent nine months at the hospital. I met Vika soon after she was hospitalized. When Vika was diagnozed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, her father took her away from the hospital and tried alternative medicine instead. When Vika’s condition got worse, theyhad to take her back to the hospital. At first, Vika was a very shy girl. She could only whisper when talking to people.
Vlad Noshko grew up. He completed the chemotherapy a while ago. All the bad things related to the treatment are in the past. He started forgetting about them. Little by little, Vlad becomes more sociable. He is very proud to be an uncle – he got the twin nieces, who are a year and a half old. When he meets new people, he always introduces himself and his mother, in a very serious manner, “This is my mother. Her name is grandma Valentina. And I am uncle Vlad.” Vlad is six years old. When he started treatment, he was only three years old. He completed the supporting therapy half a year ago. Now he has to come to the hospital for a follow-up examinations only twice a year. We hope everything will be all right with him. In September, Vlad is going to school. For now, he is getting ready for school under the guidance of his elder sister and mother. Vlad can read and count. He also likes putting the puzzles together and drawing. 
In this picture right of the clown you can see Fyodor. He is an orphan living at Tsurupinsk orphanage for the children with physical disabilities. Three years ago he was treated for myeloblastosis. Fyodor was born with deformed hands and feet. However, he is able to look after himself. When I met him for the first time I offered him help with taking him to the playroom. He got upset and said he didn’t need anyone’s help with the things he could do on his own. Then he crawled down to the floor from his bed and crawled down the hallway on his knees. When I saw it, my heart died within me. “Poor kid,” I thought. At that very moment I started respecting him.