14 years old
(born March 30, 1991)

Acute lymphocytic leukemia,
L1-L2, non T-cell
Relapse

Volodya Rodionov was admitted to the Oncohematology Department of the Crimean Child Hospital at the end of last year with a relapse of acute lymphocytic leukemia. After a thorough examination, the doctors concluded that only marrow transplantation from a related donor can save Volodya's life. And the donor was found! The bone marrow of Volodya's sister turned out to be fully compatible with Volodya's own. It seemed that he only had to leave for Kiev and have the operation there...

The first problem was to find the money for buying expensive medications that are necessary during and after marrow transplantation. In the summer of 2004, it meant from 12 to 20 thousand US dollars.

The Rodionovs were to raise only 6 thousand. The rest of the expenses were to be covered by the state and foreign sponsors of the Marrow Transplantation Department.

Six thousand dollars. Is this a large sum? Not large at all compared to the actual total cost of the required drugs. Disastrously large compared to the salaries of Volodya's parents, who live in a poor Crimean village. And the terrible thing was that this sum was to be found as soon as possible. The doctors gave only a week. After it, they were going to start preparatory chemotherapy. Or not to start it if the money is not found...

We managed to resolve the situation. We borrowed the required sum, so it would be available and could guarantee the Rodionovs' readiness to the transplantation. At the same time, we started the fundraising. Much help was received from participants of the Andrei Kuraev Internet Forum. In addition, the Week for Protection of Children with Cancer, which was held in the Crimea by our mission during the second half of February, included fundraising for Volodya's operation.

By the end of April, the money was raised and the debt was repayed. Sergei Rodionov, Volodya's father, went to Kiev, talked to the head physician of the Marrow Transplantation Department, and received the list of medications to be bought. It turned out that the raised sum was sufficient for this.
 

But... Volodya didn't reach remission after the preparatory chemotherapy. And so another cycle of even stronger chemotherapy (with an additional component) was started in Simferopol.

In general, even usual chemotherapy was very difficult for Volodya's organism. So nobody expected anything good from this cycle. And rightly so. From June 12, all the blood counts dropped disastrously. There was high fever, antibiotics... The fever lasted till the end of July! The boy received a enormous amount of various antibiotics. THE STRUGGLE AGAINST LEUKOPENIA QUICKLY CONSUMED PART OF THE MONEY RAISED FOR THE TRANSPLANTATION.

Then it all became even worse. During the leukopenia, the boy's lungs became affected with a fungal infection. Fungizone, a more or less common antifungal remedy, did not help any more. And Ambisome was prescribed to Volodya. Thirty vials all in all, from 180 to 300 US dollars per vial...

The needed medication was found. The family of Anya Kharchenko sent 20 vials to Volodya! Ten more vials were bought in the United States and sent to Ukraine by participants of the Andrei Kuraev Internet forum.

Twenty vials out of 30 have already been administered. Volodya's condition is much better, but a CT scan showed that very small sites affected by the fungi still remain in the lungs. Soon the boy will receive the remaining Ambisome, and only afterwards the doctors will decide on an operation.

Volodya and his mother have spent almost a year at hospital. Their life is very difficult. They always need money for medications, droppers, physiological solution... Also, we must find two thousand dollars more to replenish the sum raised for the transplantation.
 

DON'T LEAVE THE BOY ALONE WITH HIS TROUBLE! PLEASE HELP VOLODYA!