This year we have received fantastic support from our donors!  We spent almost $75,000 to help 12 patients with leukemia find matching bone marrow donors in the registries outside Russia.  It's the largest amount we spent on this program since we started 10 years ago.  Thank you for allowing us to keep growing! 

We would love to offer even more support to cancer patients awaiting transplants. Currently, over 30 patients in St. Petersburg need help to afford bone marrow donor searches.  The sooner they are able to find the donors, the better their chances to beat cancer.

One of these patients is Stephania.  She is a single mom of two young girls.  Stephania is a stylist and hairdresser and has always tried to lead a healthy lifestyle.  Unfortunately, last summer she developed odd symptoms that would not go away: allergies, fatigue, shortness of breath, nosebleeds... It took two months to diagnose her with acute monoblastic leukemia.  This type of leukemia requires bone marrow transplant, but Stephania does not have a matching related donor.  She needs to pay 18,000 euros to find an unrelated donor abroad.  Now that she is hospitalized, she is unable to work, and cannot afford to pay the donor registry bill.  Your help will allow patients like Stephania access treatment that they vitally need.

Thanks again for your support for this important project.  We are truly grateful and wish you a very happy New Year! 

As 2019 is coming to an end in about two weeks, an argument is raging on whether the new decade will start on January 1, 2020, or January 1, 2021.  We are also divided on this issue.  But what is clear to us is that we will continue to need your support next year just as much as we do now.

Unfortunately, the pace of progress in pediatric oncology is still slow.  Most of the investment in new drug development goes into adult cancers, which are much more frequent.  Since relatively few children get cancer, it is difficult to enroll enough patients into clinical trials and discover new medications that are more effective and safe. 

The former Soviet Union countries also remain plagued by larger issues of inefficient governments, corruption, and outdated facilities.  Many families of children with cancer are unable to get good answers to their questions, or access treatment protocols that are standard in developed countries.  Some become frustrated and take their children abroad for treatment to ensure they get the best chance to beat the disease.  

Marian's family did just that.  He was only 20 months old when he was diagnosed with stage IV neuroblastoma in August.  Neuroblastoma is a very aggressive type of cancer and almost always fatal if it recurs after treatment.  In Marian's native Ukraine, the best treatment regimen involving immunotherapy was not accessible.  His family had to bring him abroad to Spain where he is now receiving appropriate therapy.  Thanks to your donations, we were able to support his family when they reached out to us.

Until the end of the year GlobalGiving is running a contest, with prizes for the most funds raised and the most unique donors.  Donate before December 31 to allow us help even more patients!  In addition, GlobalGiving will match 100% of your first recurring donation, if you make at least 4 monthly payments. 

Thanks again for your kindness! 

We are wishing you a wonderful holiday season and a happy New Year! 

Happy Giving Tuesday!  Thank you for joining us today in celebrating the day of giving, sharing and remembering.  As you know, our work centers around supporting cancer patients from the former Soviet Union.  Unfortunately, countries in that region are significantly behind developed countries in the quality of cancer care.  This gap is even more pronounced in pediatric cancer.  For example, procedures like bone marrow transplants are still not available to children with cancer in Ukraine.  New and more effective medications take many years before making their way to the countries in the region. 

Ivan's case is typical for child diagnosed with cancer in Ukraine.  His fight for his life began 9 years ago, when he was only 4. On September 2, 2010 to his parents’ utter shock he was diagnosed with acute leukemia. Ivan was treated at the local hospital in Nikolaev, Ukraine and the treatment went well. Once he completed it, Ivan went back to preschool and then entered elementary. Suddenly, when he was 8, Ivan collapsed with partial paralysis and loss of consciousness. The testing revealed recurrence of acute leukemia, and this time only bone marrow transplant could give Ivan hope for recovery.  As it was not available to Ivan in Ukraine, in July 2015 his family took him to Bambino Gesu hospital in Rome, Italy.   In November of that year Ivan received donor’s bone marrow transplant. Again, Ivan was able to return to normal life – school and hobbies, math and kickboxing. His family hoped the worst was behind them. Unfortunately, four years later, in September 2019, Ivan started feeling unwell during practice.  As it turned out, he had a second relapse. His family was shuttered by the news, but they came together and decided to return to Italy for treatment, as the local doctors had no experience treating patients post bone marrow relapse. Currently, Ivan is receiving immunotherapy and he is responding well. Ivan’s parents are unable to work as they are taking care of Ivan in Italy.  They need our support to ensure Ivan is able to finish his treatment. 

Thanks to your kindness, we were able to grant Ivan's family with 1,000 euros to pay for the costs of living and lodging.  If you would like to support other patients like Ivan, please donate to our project today!  Your donation will be able to receive additional matching from GlobalGiving and help us earn bonus funds!  

Thanks again for your generosity and support of our efforts!