Strength for Little Olia

This spring, Olya ended up in the intensive care unit, fighting for every breath. Her mother, Anna, who is raising her daughter on her own, is constantly by her side—she needs our support.

Olya used to love “singing” with her mom and laughing contagiously; she enjoyed taking walks in her stroller along her native Dnipro River, curiously exploring everything around her. And then she came down with pneumonia. Olya spent the entire month of March in the hospital, whilst her grandmother, older brother, and cat Tuda miss her dearly at home.

On March 1, Olya was admitted to the Regional Medical Center for Family Health with diagnoses of bilateral pneumonia and influenza A. Toward evening, her condition deteriorated sharply: the girl developed a pneumothorax, and doctors urgently performed a drainage procedure.

On March 9, Olya’s condition worsened further. The next day, doctors intubated her and placed her on a ventilator. A gastrostomy tube was fitted for feeding. The girl is now back home.

Let’s recap Olya’s story. At birth, she suffered from oxygen deprivation and spent two months in the neonatal intensive care unit. A brain hemorrhage and high bilirubin levels led to Olya later being diagnosed with cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and psychomotor developmental delay.

Thanks to Anna’s efforts, Olya has learned to roll from her side onto her back and turn her head. However, she cannot sit or walk, and she partially understands spoken language. It took many months to find the right medication and diet to manage her epilepsy.

We have been supporting the family ever since Olechka turned 9 months old. Right now, Olya needs the anticonvulsant Sabril and medications to support her digestion, kidneys, and nervous system: Trinefron, Creon, Decristol, Alphabet, and Magnikum-Antistress.

Olya’s mother feeds her through a feeding tube with the lactose-free formula Nutrilon. One can lasts only two days, and it costs about 500 UAH. She needs 15 cans per month.

To provide Olya with medications and special formula for 6 months, we need to raise funds. Every donation you make gives Olya strength and provides her mom with a sense of support. Let’s come together to support this family!