By Niti Takemoto | Project Leader
In the beginning of the pandemic, March 2020, Gustavo was 6 years old and his mother noticed that her son had little dark spots in his skin. Without hesitation, she took him to the pediatrician to check if everything was all right.
The doctor, just like the mother, also suspected that those symptoms could be a problem and directed them to a hematologist. After some exams, Gustavo was diagnosed with leukemia.
The family was deeply shaken, but nevertheless trusted the pediatrician´s suggestion that GRAACC´s Hospital would be the best place to find better chances of cure. When they arrived, the family was so warmly welcomed that Gustavo started to wish to become a doctor when he grew up, inspired by those professionals that were taking care of him.
The treatment was performed with four chemotherapy sessions, but it was far from easy. For each session done, Gustavo´s immunity decreased and therefore he had additional complications, such as Covid-19 infection.
Always inside GRAACC´s Hospital, Gustavo went through the whole leukemia treatment, including the Covid-19 infection.
Such scenario was possible only because GRAACC was adapted to receive patients with respiratory syndrome separately from the others, since the very beginning of the pandemic, which provided safety for all. Besides that, the hospital prepared itself to treat the new disease in cases like Gustavo, that had to overcome Covid-19 while struggling with cancer.
After many precautions, he recovered from Covid-19 and could continue the leukemia treatment. As the days in the hospital went by, Gustavo remembered how much he enjoyed playing soccer with his parents and had dreams with the moment he would be able to swim in the pool.
By the end of November 2020, Gustavo performed his last chemotherapy session and went on to remove the Port-a-Cath, that device placed under the skin to facilitate medication. Arriving at the surgery center he was overwhelmed with joy when he was welcomed by his favorite super-hero, Spider-man, which would also be his anesthetist.
Can you imagine his happiness when he entered the swimming pool again? He was so happy that he faced the cold water, just to have fun!
Nowadays, he is celebrating 1 year and 3 months out of treatment and comes to the hospital only for checkups every quarter, just to make sure everything is ok.
This humane treatment, alongside with dreams coming true and hopes of cure, is only possible because we rely on the help and donations of people like you.
Thank you so much!
By Vivian Rodrigues | Project Leader
By Niti Takemoto | Project Leader
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