Sasha died on June 14, 2010

Hello!
Sasha Martynov is 17. He is a typical country boy. He was diagnosed with stage IV non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (t-lymphoma) with metastases in lymph nodes and bone marrow.
Before he got sick, Sasha lived in a village of Staraya Chigla in Annensky district. His mother worked at a cow farm, and his father was a mechanic. Sasha also has an older sister who is married and lives separately with her own family.
Sasha is one of those active boys. After he completed the 9th grade, he did not want to continue studying, but decided to work with his mother at a farm instead.
He also worked part-time by cutting wood for older women. All the money he earned he gave to his mom.
Everything turned for worse in December 2007. After he went swimming in the icy water, Sasha's lymph nodes enlarged, he lost hearing and developed a rash.
Until April 2008 he was on treatment at a district hospital, and only after the treatment produced negative dynamic, he was referred to the Regional hospital in Voronezh.
The boy was admitted to the unit with clear symptoms of intoxication: high temperature, fatigue, weight loss (4 kg in 2 months), difficulty with breathing and inability to walk.
The unit's doctors immediately started treatment. The first chemotherapy block was very detailed and took almost a month.
However, the teenagers like Sasha tolerate chemotherapy much worse than little kids.
He developed severe diabetes due to chemotherapy and did not respond to regular insulin. His sugar levels skyrocketed to 30 units.
The doctors used special therapy with slow-release insulin, and they brought sugar levels down.
Sasha is now in a serious condition. He already completed two blocks of chemotherapy and was recommended bone marrow transplantation. Sasha's parents and doctors of Hematology unit are asking for help. Unfortunately, he has no matching donor among his relatives, so he needs a donor search at the international registry. This requires 15,000 euros for the bone marrow donor search and 2,500 euros for delivery of transplant to St. Petersburg, where the transplantation is planned to take place.
Just think how much a 17-year old would want to live. Not just watch the hospital walls, but live.

Bill for the donor search in Germany
Epicrisis: page 1, page 2, page 3

Update as of November 16, 2008. A donor for Sasha was found! The transplantation needs to be performed as soon as possible. The date of it is being determined. We are sincerely grateful to S. Morsch registry for covering the cost of the donor search and transplant collection. We now need to raise 2,500 euros for delivery of transplant and additional funds for apartment rental in St. Petersburg for Sasha.

Update as of December 15, 2008. Unfortunately, Sasha's disease recurred; he is to have anti-relapse chemotherapy. Transplantation is postponed.

Update as of January 13, 2009. Unfortunately, the chemotherapy course did not stop the disease progression. Nevertheless, a decision was made to perform bone marrow transplantation. It was scheduled for February 16th.

Update as of January 29, 2009. Sasha was urgently hospitalized at R. Gorbacheva Institute of Pediatric Hematology and Transplantology. He will be administered a course of anti-relapse chemotherapy prior to transplantation, as his disease is still progressing, and it needs to be stabilized prior to transplantation. Unfortunately, he still has not received a quota for transplantation, and this issue is being worked on. The transplantation was scheduled for February 25th.

Update as of February 17, 2009. The Schastlivy Mir charity fund paid for the delivery of the transplant for Sasha in full. Thank you very much for your help! Sasha is now having his mouth sanitized before the transplantation. Many thanks to the UNIDENT dental clinic for the free dental care given to Sasha.

Update as of March 26, 2009. Sasha underwent transplantation. As a complication from the last chemotherapy, his gastrointestinal balance is seriously disrupted and Sasha suffers from severe vomiting. He feels unwell and very fatigued. Sasha's blood counts stay low. He receives fod intravenously. Please pray for Alexander.
Yulia, volunteer

Update as of April 15, 2009. Sasha fully recovered after transplantation and was discharged for outpatient monitoring. He was able to achieve remission in regards to his main illness. However, since transplantation was performed while Sasha was in relapse, a decision was made to perform donor's lymphocyte infusions to prevent possible relapse.

Update as of June 17, 2009. Sasha fell down and broke his leg (shin fracture) and was installed a metal rod. It is now removed, but Sasha still needs to stay in bed for some time. After the infusion of lymphocytes, his blood counts are still low and Sasha receives platelet transfusions. Due to hormonal therapy, his sugar levels increased. Based on CT scan results, he still has a few small nodes in mediastinum and in his neck, but they do not accumulate contrast.
Sasha continues taking Entocort and Vfend, so he still needs help with buying these drugs. His family also needs financial support.

Update as of August 8, 2009. Sasha was discharged home, at place of his residence. The next control testing is scheduled for September. He feels well. Sasha still needs to continue Vfend therapy.

Update as of August 20, 2009. Sasha had a relapse. He is now undergoing chemotherapy in Voronezh. After completing chemotherapy, Sasha will travel to St. Petersburg for donor's lymphocyte infusion.

Update as of October 2, 2009. Sasha feels pretty well. He recovered from infectious complications and next week he will travel to BMT clinic for planned testing and donor's lymphocyte infusion. Sasha still needs Vfend.

Update as of November 5, 2009. Based on test results, Sasha still has lesions in mediastenum. He is planned to undergo chemotherapy and donor's lymphocyte infusion.

Update as of December 9, 2009. Sasha and I came for donor's lymphocyte infusion. We are now referred for radiation therapy at our place of residence, because Sasha still has blasts in lymph nodes in his mediastinum, neck and under arms.
Next time we will return to St. Petersburg in March 2010. Sasha was prescribed Vfend therapy at 200 mg twice a day.
Sasha's mom

Update as of April 15, 2010. Sasha was administered a radiation therapy course and one more chemotherapy course in his home town of Voronezh. He now came to St. Petersburg for examinations and treatment course adjustment. He might need another chemotherapy course and donor lymphocytes transplantation since the foci are still there. Sasha still needs Vfend.

Update as of April 30, 2010. Sasha is returning home after the examination and donor's lymphocyte infusions. He will be monitored at Voronezh regional Clinical hospital. He still has lesions accumulating contrast.

Update as of June 4, 2010. Sasha is at home, on maintenance therapy. He was switched from Vfend to Orungal.

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