To get out from the trap of death

The trouble happened close to New Year Eve. Vania, the eldest son in a large Litvinovs' family felt ill. Pain in the abdomen, suspicion of appendicitis, surgery – and a terrible diagnosis – Burkitt's lymphoma. In the regional hospital of the Dnipro the state of Vania got rapidly worse, but due to combined efforts of family friends, volunteers and donors the boy was sent to Moscow center of Rogachev. He has a lot of chances to recover, but now they depend on timely payment for the services of the clinic.

Yulia Lytvynova wanted to be a mom from the time of her own childhood. The dream came true: she is growing up four friendly and loving children. 14-year-old Vanya is her hope and support, he loves history and biology, serves in the church as a sexton. And it is he who is now under attack of the disease.

Surgery of removing of the "appendicitis" lasted more than 5 hours. Mom understood: something went wrong, but the verdict of doctors horrified: oncology. In Vanya’s intestines, there was found a huge tumor with size10x12 cm. Doctors couldn’t remove the tumor, in addition, during surgery, the boy got terrible infection – Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The wound was rotting, the doctors could not cope with necrosis, and severe chemotherapy undermined the body from the other side. The boy lost 13 kg, suffered convulsions with loss of consciousness, he was getting worse. It became clear that Vania did not have a chance in the Dnipro.

As soon as the parents were able to raise funds for the first payment to the Moscow center of Rogachev, the boy's was sent there by resuscitation ambulance. With special equipment the wound was treated – thank God, it was finally healed. Careful care, special food, the most modern preparations – and during the first days Vania gained weight and felt better! To overcome the Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection completely it took almost two months, but doctors of the clinic coped with it too.

Now Vania continues to undergo chemotherapy. At the Center, he has found many new friends – among them there are children with the same diagnosis – and they are recovering. It is nice to realize that now Vania has not less chances than they do: he is in safe hands. But while the disease is not defeated, the boy is still in danger. Vania is a foreigner, so the cost of clinic services for him is 1,000 dollars per day. Money are collected by the whole world – Ukrainians and Russians. Together we can save Vania!

Name: Lytvynov Ivan, 19.01.2003

City: Dnipro

Diagnosis: Burkitt's lymphoma (Grade 3)