News July 2026

“The nearest intensive care unit is dozens of kilometers away. If his blood sugar drops critically low, we might simply not make it in time…”

Ilya, a 12-year-old from the village of Katerynivka (Vasylkiv community), lives with a severe form of diabetes. Every night for his family is filled with anxious waiting and alarm clocks set to catch a dangerous episode in time.

In the summer of 2023, the boy’s life changed dramatically. Weight loss, constant thirst, and a sudden bout of shortness of breath landed him straight in the ICU. Tests revealed a critical glucose level of 20 mmol/L.

The diagnosis: insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus with ketoacidosis. To monitor her son’s condition around the clock and protect him from dangerous blood sugar spikes, his mother was forced to quit her job. Now, every day for Ilya means counting every spoonful of food, endless finger pricks, and painful insulin injections. Sometimes the boy is willing to skip a meal just to avoid another needle.

An insulin pump can save the child from pain and protect his organs from serious complications. It will automatically deliver the necessary dose of insulin 24/7.

This fundraiser has been running for two years now. For the past two years, the family has been living at an exhausting pace, and the boy endures pain every day.

They cannot afford to buy the device on their own—it’s already extremely difficult to get by on social assistance.

Let’s help Ilya live without fear and daily pain!