Untie them from the dropper

Mom’s heart squeezes when she sees her baby’s tears during the painful insertion of a cheap subclavian catheter. After a short time, the kid’s veins get clogged, and the painful procedure is repeated over and over again. All the veins are punctured. When the vein gets clogged, a new catheter is inserted in the other arm. Then it is inserted into the legs and then everything starts from the beginning. The wounds do not have time to heal. Medications and suffering. And every day is like this. Children with cancer receive chemotherapy for months. And drugs get into the body through the catheter.

The cheap option which is a subclavian butterfly catheter has many disadvantages. It can get cracked, and potent drugs will harm everything on their way. The child is tied to a dropper and should be careful not to let the catheter fall down. The area around the catheter is periodically inflamed, and taking drugs becomes even more painful.

The more gentle option is a port-a-cath. It is inserted by means of a micro surgery. And in most cases, one port-a-cath is enough for the whole period of treatment. The child may go home between chemo cycles. There he or she can move freely and even have a bath. And the port is more reliable, its walls are stronger. All the patients with malignant blood diseases need port-a-caths but for patients with acute forms of the disease, such ports are obligatory. However, it is not provided by the state procurement. And it is very difficult for an average Ukrainian family that often has to buy a lot of medicines and supplies to pay a few thousand UAH.

We can reduce children’s suffering! Let’s help buy reliable ports for ill children!