Nastiusha, date of birth - Jan 23, 2008
Basic diagnosis: total sensorineural deafness
Abstract of medical record from the Prof. O.S. Kolomiychenko Otolaryngology Institute of Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine.
When she was six months old, Nastiusha was given an inoculation that caused complications –high temperature kept for a long time, the child became nervous. Later the parents noticed that the girl’s physical development differed from the one the children of her age should have. In particular the girl didn’t react to the voice, sounds. The anxious dad and mum took the girl for an examination to Kyiv Otolaryngology Institute where a distressing diagnosis was made: total psychoneural deafness. And in this case hearing cannot be restored…
But this situation is not hopeless. The usual means of treatment of severe double-sided hearing impairment and deafness is cochlear implantation which was prescribed to Nastiusha.
Information: Cochlear system is a communication device consisting of a cochlear implant (the inner part) and a sound processor (the outer part). Cochlear system not only guarantees the patient hearing perception but contributes to the language function forming.
Cochlear implant is an electronic device fulfilling the functions of the damaged or missing hair cell and providing electrical stimulation of the remained nerve fibers. It provides the necessary sound information by direct stimulating of the remained auditory nerve fibers guaranteeing a patient the ability to perceive sounds.
For 20 years cochlear implantation has been helping people in many countries of the world. A few years ago it was introduced in Ukraine (Prof. O.S. Kolomiychenko Otolaryngology Institute, Kyiv). The system costs about 300 thousand hryvnas – obviously the sum that an ordinary Ukrainian family from a small town cannot afford. In Ukraine there is a program according to which the state pays for the cochlear systems for the children who need cochlear implantation. But 300 thousand hryvnas is big money for the state medical budget as well. That’s why there is a waiting list; the state can only help to buy the system for a few children a year. Nowadays there is a waiting list for many years ahead and there is no guarantee that you can wait till your turn comes.
And there is no time to wait. Cochlear implantation has to be done till a child is 3 years old since this is the age when human hearing and speech habits and abilities develop. The children born or grew deaf are limited in realizing their life potential and development.
Nastiusha’s parents are not sitting around twiddling their thumbs. They are doing their best to help their little daughter: they are looking for opportunities in various clinics, various doctors… Unfortunately the price for the implant is approximately the same in different countries. If the cochlear system is available Nastiusha will be operated in Kyiv. The girl will also be able to undergo obligatory postoperative checkup there to control the implanted system functioning. But the family can’t deal with the situation without assistance. They need our help to raise 282 thousand hryvnas ($35 000) to purchase the implant.
Account for the cochlear system
Nastia’s dad Igor Vishnitsky regularly takes his daughter to the audiology centre where the girl studies with an audiologist. The girl can hear noise, loud sounds, but she can’t discern speech. The peculiarity of her case is the necessity of constant training in order not to let the auditory nerve die and to have time to teach the child to speak a little before the operation, to have time to develop speech abilities at least a bit. Besides to maintain the auditory nerve till the implantation it is necessary to wear digital hearing-aids which cost 7 thousand hryvnas each.
Nastiushra with her dad and mum
We ask all the people who care to do what they can to help Nastia with treatment and cochlear implantation payment. It is hard for one person, but if we unite our efforts we will be able to help the little girl with the cochlear implantation that will allow her to improve the perception of surrounding sounds and speech and to develop normally in the future.
Nastia’s family lives in Kamensko-Dneprovsky rayon of Zaporozhye region, Ukraine.
Nikulova Olga Anatolievna’s (Nastia’s mother) phone numbers: +3 8-095-137-17-23, +3 8-099-029-79-34 (speaks Russian)
Ways of donation transferring for Vishnitskaya Anastacia’s treatment:
Bank details for donation transferring in US dollars from abroad:
BENEFICIARY: Nykulova Olga Anatoliivna
ACCOUNT: 4405 8850 1439 4032
BANK OF BENEFICIARY: PRIVATBANK, DNEPROPETROVSK, UKRAINE
SWIFT CODE: PBANUA2X
INTERMEDIARY BANK: JP MORGAN CHASE BANK CHASE METROTECH CENTER 7 TH FLOOR BROOKLYN NY 11245 USA,
SWIFT CODE: CHASUS33
CORRESPONDENT ACCOUNT: 0011000080
Bank details for donation transferring in EURO from abroad:
Beneficiary: Nikulova Olga Anatoliivna
Card #: 6762 4620 3969 8425
Bank of beneficiary: Privatbank, Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine Swift code: PBANUA2XZAP
INTERMEDIARY BANK: Deutche Bank AG, Frankfurt on Main, Germany swift code: DEUTDEFF
CORRESPONDENT ACCOUNT: 10094701211000
or using other convenient ways of donation (PayPal, MoneyGram, Western Union, Webmoney, etc.)
You can apply to the “Happy child” fund official Inna Grigorieva for the additional information: +38 (093) 93 39 788, i_grig@ukr.net
