We are asking Irina's supporters to send their donations to Irina's
personal bank account (please notify her about your donation), Advita
Fund's online payment accounts
(paypal,
moneybookers)
or to Advita Fund USA.
Please do not send your donations to Advita Fund's bank account.
I was growing up just like any other kid until the age of 10. At 11, a simple surgery
upturned my life: the surgery has triggered a neuromuscular disease, myasthenia gravis.
Within two years, I couldn't walk - a year later, for the first time in my life, I lost
my breathing… then, my heart stopped beating.
The following two years were an unending nightmare: long stays in intensive care, coma,
artificial lung ventilation… My parents refused to give up... Although I survived, I
lost sensibility in my muscles and went to a wheelchair for the rest of my life. I had
to use a keyboard instead of a pen which I couldn't simply secure in my hand. I always
needed someone to assist me. But all that was not the worst of my problems. I was diagnosed
with an invasive thymoma, a rare mediastinal tumor. My case was considered inoperable and
I was sentenced to a palliative care: in my home Ukraine it simply meant "why bother,
she is going to die anyway". But this time I didn't give up on myself! I learnt to
live again - not just exist, but live a normal life. I joined several youth competitions
and won; I attended seminars; and travelled all over Europe in a wheelchair. I became a
volunteer and later a Board member of a charitable fund.
My life was sorting out when suddenly my joints began to degenerate. I underwent operations
on one of my knee joints only - all with no result. In the end, the pain in the joints has
gotten so intolerable that I couldn't sit and had to lie down all the time. My last hope
was a visit to the University Clinic in Regensburg, Germany. The first doctors' examination
came as a shock: a tymoma diagnosis was not confirmed! It meant I had a chance to cure it.
The second shock: I needed a series of operations to replace the damaged joints. In July
2008, I had a first surgery to replace of my hip joint. In April 2009, my knee joint was
replaced too. At the same time, the doctors kept on looking for the cause of the bones
degeneration. The results of the research came as another shock: apparently, a genetic
mutation in my body system led to an excessive blood clotting so it failed to supply
blood to the organs and tissues. Eventually, my bones, lungs, kidneys, brain - everything
was going to die. In September 2009 there was another unpleasant discovery - a rare form of
arrhythmia, as a result of a genetic heart defect. It meant that my heart could stop at any
moment! No one knows if and when this is going to happen - but if it would, and a defibrillator
isn't there, my life is over.
Just ten years ago, I would be out of luck. Now, I have a risky but viable option: experimental
open heart surgery could implant a defibrillator inside my body so it would re-start my heart
should it stop. The cost of the operation is 18,000 Euros. It is needed urgently - the surgery
is scheduled for November 20. With the kind help of people just like you, I have managed to
collect about 4,300 Euros. The remaining portion is still enormous, and I am running out of time.
Update as of October 25th, 2009.
I am thankful to all my friends who helped with the money. So far, I have
collected approximately 6,300 euros. Thank you, my friends!!! Thank you!!!
The German hospital had promised to revise the bill, but hasn't sent a
new one as of yet. So we are still looking at 18,000 euros for the hospital
and another 1,000 euros for the rent and travel.
There was another thrombosis in my blood port. This is a very bad thing -
not just because it blocks the hemoglobin that I need so much to increase
before the surgery (and get three capsules of iron somehow), but because
such persistent cases of thrombosis mean that Warfarin doesn't help much
with my genetic blood clot problem. I will try to flush the port, but if no
luck, I don't know what to do.
There is an option, the very last one. If the port doesn't get better, then
I will need to replace it - and then the entire trip becomes even more
expensive! Plus, the winter is coming, and there is a risk to catch the
pneumonia. Anyway, I am not planning on anything else; I don't even have
enough money for the first surgery.
I only managed to get two capsules of iron, although my body barely noticed.
Finally, the blood has leveled out - but, due to an upcoming surgery,
Warfarin has to be cancelled soon. My heart sits quiet now; it's hard to
believe it may stop any time!
I've been searching on the Internet, but found no alternative to an
operation. However, I found a way to go without a general anesthesia in a
surgery - I just need to confirm with my doctors on this.
In the meantime, I am preparing for the trip. I have already applied for a
visa and I am waiting for the interview at the embassy. The interview is set
to November 17th. When it comes to travelling, the winter is the worst. I
get frostbites when it's only +10C out, and the humidity of Regensburg makes
it worse. I don't know how I would be traveling from and to the hospital,
back and forth. Regardless, I do hope for the best!
Irina
Update as of November 14, 2009.
I have great news - I received a letter from the clinic. According to the letter,
I have 3,000 euros (including $2000 from AdVita USA)
in my account with them, and as they've told me, this is sufficient.
The rest of the bill will be covered by an anonymous donor.
Moreover, the donor will likely pay even more (almost the full cost of treatment),
so the money that was raised should be enough to cover all expenses.
Thank you very much, everybody!
Irina
Update as of January 6, 2010.
We are restarting fundraising for Irina. She has a
serious post-operative complication, pleurisy. We
urgently need to raise 5,000 euros (bill).
Update as of January 22, 2010.
Ira felt better. Her drainage was removed and she was allowed
to leave hospital and stay at the rented apartment.
Update as of January 29, 2010.
An anonymous supporter transferred 8,600 euros to Irina's account
at the clinic. The fundraising is now closed. Cash sent to our fund
for Irina will be transferred to her personal account.
We are enormously grateful to everyone who has helped!
Update as of February 22, 2010.
Ira is already at home. All the bills from
the clinic were paid for. Unfortunately, she is still fighting
post-operative complications - pneumonia, low blood pressure, low blood
counts and fever. Irina is continuing therapy with antibiotics and other
medications. Her pacemaker is working well.
Update as of May 27, 2010.
Irina is now undergoing examination at the Radiology Department
in a clinic in Galle. She needed to be tested with marked
leukocytes and the pacemaker was suspected of being the source of
the infection. Based on the results, the pacemaker is not infected,
but the electrode leading to the pacemaker is, which was the
reason for the severe infectious complications after the surgery.
Irina will need a consultation with cardiac surgeon. The electrode
may need to be removed, so that infection can be cleared and
the electrode re-installed. We are waiting for the new bill
for the upcoming surgery.
Update as of June 5, 2010.
We are restarting fund raising for Irina's treatment.
She started having pleural bleeding again. The surgery to remove
infected electrode, therapy with antibiotics and installation of
a new one will cost at least 15,000 euros. The situation is urgent
and we are starting to raise funds in advance of the invoice.
Update as of July 5, 2010.
Due to pleural bleeding, Irina was urgently hospitalized.
The surgery was postponed.
Update as of July 3, 2010.
We are thanking all the supporters who helped raise the whole amount
required for Irina's surgery. The hospitalization is scheduled for
July 6th and the surgery is planned for July 8th.
Update as of July 14, 2010.
Irina was operated and the infected electrode was removed without
damage to the lung. Irina is still in intensive care.
Correspondent Bank:
Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas,
SWIFT: BKTRUS33
Beneficiary Bank:
OJSC Bank Petrovski (f. EEFC Bank Plc.)
SWIFT: PETRRU2P
Account No. 04096265
Beneficiary:
Non-Profit Organization
"AdVita Charitable Foundation",
account # 40703840712001000468
*,**
Correspondent Bank:
Deutsche Bank AG,
SWIFT: DEUTDEFF
Beneficiary Bank:
OJSC Bank Petrovski (f. EEFC Bank Plc.)
SWIFT: PETRRU2P
Account No. 100 9497918 1000
Beneficiary:
Non-Profit Organization
"AdVita Charitable Foundation",
account # 40703978312001000468
*,**
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