Nothing is more important than bread

In her first years of life Angelina was diagnosed to have phenylketonuria. It is a genetic disease which requires a very strict diet to be kept by a child. Angelina is in great need of special food with a limited protein level. The father deserted the family and there is nobody on whose support the mother can rely. Special food is sold only in Kyiv and is VERY expensive. The family can resolve the problem in part by home baking of bread. The family though has no money to buy a breadmaker with a gluten-free baking function.

A baby coming to life is a positive miracle presented to us by nature. And the joy of maternity is the greatest enjoyment for a woman. But it happens that this joy is alloyed by a diagnosis of doctors. Unfortunately, distress did not stay away from the Ivanenkos family. There are 700 children with a diagnosis of phenylketonuria in Ukraine and only seven in Gorlivka! And Angelina is among them.

Doctors recommended to the parents to drastically curtail products with a high content of phenylalanine in the girl’s food in future and to entirely exclude high-protein foodstuff from her diet: meat, fish, sausage, eggs, cheese, bread, grits, legumes, nuts and chocolate. The girl is to follow those recommendations throughout her life. If she fails to strictly take her diet, her central nervous system may be severely affected, the complications then resulting in oligophrenia. But in case of a correct, balanced and diverse nutrition Angelina will grow a sound child and will be able to follow a school syllabus on the usual terms rather than attend institutions for the mentally handicapped.

Now Angelina is 5 years old but she is already accustomed to fight for her life and tries to support her mother when she goes through a difficult time. The girl is brought up in a single-parent family, the father quit family and there is nobody on whose support they can rely. Unfortunately the child can’t attend preschool institutions because of individual nutrition, that is why her mother has to stay in with the girl rather than earn money for treatment and special food. Such special food products can be bought in Ukraine only in Kyiv. They are very expensive. For example: 1 kg of flour is UAH 62, a load of bread (400 g) - 35, noodles - 132 per 1 kg and biscuits - 150-190 per 1 kg. In addition, it is necessary to regularly feed the girl with vitamins and minerals for maintaining their quantity in the body.

The nutrition problem can be partially addressed by home baking of special bread for the child. But the family has no money to buy a breadmaker with a gluten-free baking function (1 206 uah). And buying foodstuff for at least a short period of time (4 - 6 months) would enable the mother to expand an assortment of vegetables and fruit for the girl.

We believe that the story of the girl who suffers such a rare disease can’t leave indifferent those who are able to sympathize! The name of Angelina means ‘angelic’, so let us help this angel not to be alone with distress! May the surrounding world be kinder to this light girl!

Name: Angelina Ivanenko, 29.10.2008

City: Donetsk Region, Gorlivka.

Diagnosis: phenylketonuria.