Mom, I’m choking!

Imagine that all your life you have to breathe through a mask of two dozen thick layers. It cannot be removed, cleaned, changed. Periodically you are stifled with cough that cannot be stopped for hours... That’s how Vladik Bogomazov lives for 10 years. He is sick with cystic fibrosis. Every day the infection devours the lungs and breathing becomes harder.

The boy dreams of becoming a firefighter. And for this dream he trains every day, trains until his has enough breath. Between the lessons and homework – three times a day – he does inhalation with different drugs, takes antifungal drugs, antibiotics, enzymes and does into mandatory breathing gymnastics. Vlad orderly complies with all the prescriptions and never missed a procedure. If he does he would not live.

Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disease of metabolism. Secretory fluids are very viscous and are not excreted by the body. Gradually harmful bacteria develop inside and life-threatening pneumonia begins. It is from respiratory failure that people with cystic fibrosis die. The last year for Vlad was a real test – several infections were detected in his lungs. None of them respond to any antibiotics available in Ukraine. Bacteria eat kid's lungs. And Vlad began to rapidly fade away. His body now operates for only 50%.

Now there is the only hope – for help abroad where more modern and effective medications are used. Therefore, the life expectancy of people with cystic fibrosis in Europe is twice as high as in our country. After reviewing the documents of Vladislav, doctors at the University Clinic in Dresden recommended immediate medical treatment. The account from the clinic is 10,000 Euros. One German child fund agreed to cover 8 thousand. We need to raise € 2,000 in two months. We collect 64 000 UAH at UBB to pay for a treatment for Vlad.

Name: Bogomazov Vladyslav, 12.09.2009

City: Kharkiv

Diagnosis: cystic fibrosis with chronic pancreatic insufficiency of severe form. Chronic respiratory failure 2 degrees.