Resumption. Transplant.❗David's battle with leukemia has been going on for 4 years❗

The beginning of the battle

David was only two years old when he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. It all started with a seemingly harmless infection, like many previous ones, which had cleared up after standard treatment. This time, however, there was no improvement. The antibiotics had no effect, and with each passing day, new and increasingly worrying signs appeared.

The bruises under his eyes and on his body were a clear sign that the situation was getting out of control. A visit to the hospital emergency room and basic blood tests immediately triggered life-saving procedures. Hemoglobin seven. Platelets fifty-five thousand. Leukocytes two hundred and fifteen thousand. It was an emergency. Everything happened very quickly after that. Transport by ambulance to Poznań and a diagnosis that opened the door to a world dominated by treatment and fear.

The treatment did not provide simple answers.

First, bronchitis was treated, then chemotherapy was started. The lack of response to steroids meant that a high-risk protocol had to be implemented. During consolidation, there was hope for a milder therapy with Blincyto antibodies. After a month, however, it turned out that the body was not responding as expected. It was necessary to return to heavy HR blocks.

Only then did remission come. A moment of respite, which turned out to be fragile and short-lived.

Resumption and decision on transplantation

The disease returned. Dawid underwent months of extremely intensive chemotherapy again, followed by total body irradiation (TBI) in Warsaw. The treatment was extremely taxing, and his young body endured it with great effort.

Everything had one goal: to prepare David for a bone marrow transplant, which was performed in September 2024. His older brother, the closest possible donor, gave him a chance at health. His compatibility gave hope where there had previously been none.

Complications recorded in the body

The treatment left its mark. David repeatedly required central catheters to be inserted due to infections. During chemotherapy administered into the spinal canal, a staphylococcal infection developed. The therapy suppressed his appetite, caused vomiting, and led to wasting. On several occasions, he had to be fed through a tube.

The consequences also affected his motor system. Today, Dawid struggles with orthopedic problems. Flat feet and foot valgus require specialized insoles, rehabilitation, and constant support so that he can regain his fitness and move without pain.

A family in a state of constant vigilance

For many months, the mother lived with her son in the hospital. Stay after stay, infection after infection, unpredictability and constant tension. At the same time, the father had to combine his professional work with caring for three children at home. The family functioned in a state of permanent exhaustion.

The illness also affected the siblings. The emotions they were unable to cope with found an outlet in difficulties at school and growing tension. Each of the children paid their own price for a situation that dominated their everyday lives for years.

Daily life after treatment

Today, Dawid is at home, under the constant care of the transplant clinic in Poznań. Check-ups are frequent and require his father's full availability, as his mother does not have a driver's license. Each trip involves complicated logistics and additional financial burdens. This is a time of rebuilding the body after two devastating therapies. A time when non-refundable medications, supplements, rehabilitation, and medical equipment are needed so that Dawid can get back on his feet, not only literally, but also in terms of his health.

What is the battle about today?

The disease robbed David of his early childhood. Over the course of four years, he fought two difficult battles for his life. Now it is time to rebuild what has been destroyed. This process may take years. It may require sacrifices and effort that will affect the future.

However, it can be carried out with a greater chance of efficiency, peace, and normality. That is what the fight is about today. About the possibility of a new beginning. About help that will allow David to return to his childhood.