Neuroblastoma wreaks havoc on a young child's body❗ Maja fights for life❗ Help❗

An inconspicuous start

No one imagined that a single nosebleed that occurred in July 2022 would be the beginning of a long and dramatic journey through hospitals, tests and ignorance. However, when a high fever that was difficult to beat appeared, medical help was inevitable. The ambulance that was called took Maja to the Hospital Emergency Department, where she waited with her mother in the waiting room for several hours. Overnight they returned home, unfortunately - without consultation or diagnosis.

Towards a diagnosis

The parents' determination to help the suffering child was unwavering. The mother took her daughter to a hospital in Jelenia Gora, where blood tests performed yielded alarming results: very low hemoglobin and extremely elevated CRP. Maja has now stayed in the ward. Subsequent x-rays and ultrasounds showed enlarged lymph nodes. A decision was made to transport Maja to Wroclaw.

Wroclaw received a girl with suspected mononucleosis. Doctors searched for the cause, another ultrasound, MRI and CT scan were performed. In an instant the whole family was relieved - they were told it was nothing serious. Moments later, the information was retracted. Maja was immediately transported to the "Cape of Hope". At the Clinic the diagnosis was made.

Stage IV neuroblastoma

Malignant tumor - neuroblastoma. At this point the fight for life began. The first life-saving step for the child was surgical removal of the tumor. Along the way, Maja battled sepsis twice. She was treated for COVID and struggled with chronic fever. Today, normalcy is out of the question. Oncology therapy is taking away her strength and appetite. Ahead of her are radiation therapy, immunotherapy and a yet unknown follow-up.

It doesn't lose its light - after all

Although her body is weakening and everyday life is filled with pain and fear, Maja is still able to look ahead with confidence. She is a tenacious child, full of the will to live, ready every day to face anew what the disease brings. Her family surrounds her with tenderness and does not let her lose hope, but their strength is on the verge of exhaustion. Today, everything but the fight for life must come down to the wire. One thing only has to be - except for one thing: security. Security for daily needs, for medical expenses, for commuting, for resources that give them a real chance to survive. In this quiet daily life, where any help becomes a relief, everything counts: support, presence, breath.