Dasha is 8. Her diagnosis: monoblastic leukemia.
Hardly any parents can find the words to describe the despair they feel after
learning that their child is seriously ill. After they realize that the challenge they
have to overcome is called leukemia.
Daria was born healthy and she was very active and smart girl. She went to kindergarten,
where she had many friends. She almost never got sick. Just before school, we decided to
send her to her grandmother to the south. After a month and a half of summer vacation, she
started vomiting and having high temperature.
Dasha stayed at the local hospital for two weeks, but her doctors still could not explain
her symptoms. She was suspected of having stomach flu. Once she started feeling better,
we took her home. However, on her way home, on the train, Dasha's condition worsened
drastically. For two days the doctors from the train stations were overseeing her.
When she got home, she was in a very bad condition. Immediately, we called the doctor and
after the preliminary blood tests, she was diagnosed.
Currently, Daria is receiving chemotherapy treatment in accordance with AML-BFM protocol.
She was diagnosed with monoblastic leukemia. This form of leukemia is rare in children.
It is difficult to treat and has many complications. In our seven months at the hospital
we went through a lot: intensive care and constant stay in sterile rooms, but we always
retained our hope for the better. After the chemotherapy, our daughter needs to have bone
marrow transplant to survive. The operation can be performed for free at Pavlov State
Medical University in St. Petersburg, but because we do not have a matching donor among
Dasha's relatives, and there is no unrelated donor registry in Russia, we have to search
for the bone marrow donor in the international registry. The search costs 15,000 euro,
and another 2,000 euro is the cost of delivery of transplant from European collection
center to the patient's room in St. Petersburg.
We don't have and never had 17,000 euro. There is a saying that money does not buy
health, but in our case it's the money that determines whether Dasha will live or not.
This is the last chance for her to become healthy normal child, start the 1st grade,
stay out of the hospital and forget all the horrible experiences she had. We hope
that she will never again have to say, "Mama, I do not want to die!"
Update as of May 27, 2005.
Dasha is staying at the Children's hospital No. 1, where she is receiving re-induction
course of supporting chemotherapy. She feels well, enjoys warm days and hopes to go
home soon. On May 27th she is scheduled for lumbar puncture, and then Dasha will be
able to rest for 1.5 months.
We would like to thank everybody who is supporting us in these difficult times.
Alla and Daria Vranchan
Update as of June 17, 2005.
Today we are staying at home. After the re-induction course the blood analysis
showed Dasha's hemoglobin at 80, leukocytes at 1.7 and thrombocytes at 60. Dasha
feels well and she is getting ready for the next course.
We would like to wholeheartedly thank Nastenka Fund community for making the
first payment into the international donor registry. We are also sincerely
grateful to all other people who participate in Dasha's life.
Alla and Daria Vranchan
Update as of September 1, 2005.
We would like to tell our supporters that we had paid for the donor search,
and a donor for Dasha was found.
Dasha feels well. In September she will have an examination, and her stem
cells will be collected (just in case).
The bone marrow transplant operation is planned for October. Once again,
we are enormously grateful to everyone who has been helping us!
Alla and Daria Vranchan
Update as of September 21, 2005.
We are enormously grateful to Fond Nastenka group that donated 2,300 euros. Now we have enough money for
delivery of transplant from abroad.
Dasha feels well.
Alla and Daria Vranchan
Update as of November 8, 2005.
Dasha is scheduled to receive bone marrow transplant on November 29, 2005.
Update as of November 25, 2005.
Dasha is receiving pre-transplantation chemotherapy. Soon she will need 8-10 thrombocyte systems that
cost 250 euros apiece. We would like to ask for your help with purchasing them.
Update as of December 5, 2005.
We would like to ask for your help and support of Dasha in post-operation period. Her bone marrow donor was not
an ideal match, and we anticipate GVHD (graft-versus-host disease) of III to IV degree, which may require extended
and complicated therapy.
There is also a possibility of additional cell transplant, which would be taken by biopsy from my own bone marrow.
Alla Vranchan
Update as of December 12, 2005.
Dasha's donated cells started to grow, which is very good news. As we expected, she has a strong GVHD (III degree) so
Dasha is having a rash all over her body.
Alla Vranchan
Update as of December 20, 2005.
Dasha developed hemorrhagic cystitis, and she is getting treatment at hyperbaric chamber for that. By the
end of the week, we are expecting to get the results of cytogenetic test that will indicate the state of grafting
of donated cells.
Thinking into the future, we would like to ask the visitors to our page to help us buy a bed for Dasha. Her old
one is too small for her, and it is difficult for us to save for a new one. We will be very grateful for any help.
Alla Vranchan
Update as of January 5, 2005.
Dasha's condition worsened and her doctors are now certain that it is caused by
acute GVHD (graft versus host disease) that had affected her skin, kidneys,
intestines, etc. Dasha feels very bad. She is hurting all over, she has
stomachaches, her skin surface hurts, she has diarrhea and lost a lot of weight.
Even though the donated bone marrow grafted successfully and works well, Dasha's
blood indicators fell. She is receiving blood and thrombocyte transfusions.
We still have enough blood donations, as well as medications and thrombocyte
systems. Dasha is planned to receive certain maternal cells as a way to inhibit
GVHD. The doctors told us that it is a low risk operation, but complications could
be serious.
Update as of January 6, 2005.
Dasha is constipated, because her intestines are not working well. She is getting a
stimulant via IV. She is also nauseous and fatigued, and got a urine catheter
installed. Her skin has gotten a little better.
Her hemoglobin and thrombocytes are still low. Dasha rarely opens her eyes now.
Tomorrow Dasha's mom will have to buy thrombocytes from the hospital No. 31, but
she only has 10,000 rubles left. Dasha is being diagnosed with GVHD stage 3-4 of
skin, liver and intestines. Her blood sugar is very high (27.5), and she is
getting insulin injections.
Wire transfer
S.W.I.F.T CODE: SABRRU2P
SAVINGS BANK OF THE
RUSSIAN FEDERATION
(SEVERO-ZAPADNY HEAD OFFICE)
ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA
ACC. # 42307 978 8 5524 0000129 (EUR)
ACC. # 42307 840 4 5524 0000398 (USD)
Alla Vasilievna Vranchan
* - Please specify your name and how we can keep in touch with you.
We also need the letter from you with the following data:
your full name (name of organization), address, phone (fax), goal of donation,
date, signature (seal).
Please use on of the following applications:
in russian,
in english,
in german.
** - If money amount are transfered by the third party we kindly
ask you to show in the letter which firm would transfer the sum of
money (by our request money transfer would be performed by firm....
If you would like to transfer money through Western Union, please contact
site administrator.
