Acute lymphoblastic leukemia❗ Help save Nadia❗.

When a diagnosis breaks your heart

The beginning of August, full summer and the joyful bustle of playgrounds. Among the playing children, however, Nadia was missing. Quieter and quieter, increasingly weakened, she complained of pain in her hands. The night brought a high fever, and a strong cough appeared in the morning. The family doctor diagnosed acute laryngitis and prescribed an antibiotic. However, after four days, the girl's condition did not improve. The parents, having already been referred to the children's ward, made the decision to go to the hospital urgently.

In Człuchów, key tests were performed. The morphology results left no illusions: dramatically low hemoglobin, extremely low platelets, alarmingly high inflammatory markers. Immediate transport to Gdansk was necessary. The procedure dragged on because there was a shortage of ambulances, until finally, thanks to the determination of doctors and repeated consultations with Warsaw, Nadia ended up at the Department of Pediatrics, Hematology and Oncology. There, a diagnosis was made that tore at her parents' hearts - acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Under the drip

In Gdansk, treatment was started immediately, according to the AIEOP BFM ALL 2017 protocol. Steroid therapy and the first cycles of chemotherapy quickly became a daily routine .

The plan calls for at least two years of therapy - two years of health struggles filled with pain, side effects and constant fear for each new day.

Separated family

Mom accompanies Nadia to the hospital, while Dad takes care of his two older sons, Bryan (age 7) and Max (age 6), in Czluchow. The boys understand only that their sister is very sick and won't come home for a long time. Every trip Dad makes to Gdansk is nearly two hours one way, and caring for the boys requires the support of extended family. Nadia's illness has taken away something more from the family than the child's health - it has separated them for months, putting everyone to the test.

Biggest challenges

The daily life of this family today is a struggle not only with the disease and its effects, but also with a dramatic financial burden. Mom is on unemployment, caring for three children. Dad - a soldier - is the sole breadwinner in the family. Meanwhile, the cost of medical treatment, commuting, rehabilitation and ordinary living continues to rise. Support is needed so that the family can bear the burden of everyday life and so that Nadia can get through the long and grueling therapy without any obstacles.