War undermines children's health

Serhii has diabetes. One day his walking area was hit by cluster munitions, now he is panicky afraid of explosions – his blood glucose level rises critically. Serhii has to prick his fingers up to ten times a day, which leaves bruises and wounds that do not heal well. Freestyle Libre 2 sensors allow him to measure his glucose level around the clock and painlessly. To purchase a year's supply of these devices, they need our support.

Serhii loves to read and draw. And he also has a big heart: the boy always feeds homeless animals and dreams of taking them all home. He has two turtles and a cat, Kuzia, at home.

Serhii is studying in the fifth grade online. He really enjoys learning, but because of the soreness of his fingers, it is difficult for the boy to hold a pen and write.

In the spring of 2021, the boy suffered from Covid. He felt weak, lost his appetite, lost weight, and later his acetone levels increased. The doctor did a blood test for glucose, and the result shocked everyone – 27.6 mmol/l, with a normal range of up to 5. Serhii was admitted to intensive care for 3 days, then for 8 days he was adjusted for insulin doses in the endocrinology department. There, the family learned about sensors that allow painless, and most importantly, 24-hour blood glucose levels to be measured.

Now Serhii is in a transitional age: hormonal disruptions cause frequent and sharp fluctuations in glucose, and he has to inject insulin up to eight times a day.

The situation is also complicated by the war. In July 2022, the family had to leave their hometown of Barvinkove, Kharkiv region, and move to Lozova. Once, Serhii, walking down the street, came under shelling with cluster shells, and now he is panickingly afraid of missile attacks; during them, blood glucose rises to critical levels.

The sensors will help Serhii avoid constant finger pricks. In addition, constant glucose monitoring is a guarantee of the child's health: after all, sharp changes in blood glucose levels have an extremely negative effect on the state of the cardiovascular system, kidneys, and vision. One sensor works for 14 days and costs UAH 2,192.

We are launching a fundraiser to buy 24 Freestyle Libre 2 sensors for Sergiy. This is a huge amount for his family, without our help they cannot cope!