Maria Sklyar, born on 6 April 2009

Diagnosis: T-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Up-to-date treatment news about Maria Sklyar

CT testing report: p. 1 p. 2

Medical opinion

How to help

Report on donations

Telephone numbers of parents and volunteers

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�Give me a place to stand and I will move the Earth� � that is the motto of 5-year-old Maria. The little girl is doing her best to achieve her goals. From her very childhood, she knew what she wanted and how she was going to get it. Going back home in the evening, she was excited telling her parents about the new things she learned at the nursery and at the pre-school training courses. She was dreaming about the time when she will be studying at the lyceum, taking part in various competitions, and, what is interesting, she even had her plans written down in her notebook. But� her life made an unexpected turn, and instead of the lyceum the little girl found herself on a bed in the Hematology Department of Zaporozhzhye Regional Children�s Hospital. Here she is surrounded not by joyful boys and girls playing dolls and games, but with a spirit of stress, pain, concerns and uncertainty� This is how it all started:

On January 27, Masha�s parents noticed that her adenoids were enlarged. The family went to an otolaryngologist for counseling. The girl was prescribed treatment, which gave no results. After some serious examinations Masha was diagnosed with acute mononucleosis, with a new treatment course prescribed and follow-up of an oncologist. But still, there was no result. The girl�s adenoids were still enlarged. Such treatment went on till the beginning of March.

One of the blood counts made the situation clear: there were 57% of blasts in the peripheral blood. A healthy human should have no blasts in the samples at all. Masha was urgently taken to the in-patient hospital department, with the first chemo course prescribed. Sleepless nights were waiting for Masha�s parents and family members.

Doctors expected that on the 15th day of therapy the girl will have a remission, but it didn�t happen. It was decided to prescribe high-dose chemo. After the course is completed, it will be clear if the girl needs bone marrow transplantation, with the chances being 50/50.

During the two months spent at the hospital, the family spent about 20 thousand hryvnias (890 US dollars) for their second (younger) daughter�s treatment (they had to buy expensive medications). And only God knows what will happen now.

�So far, the situation is dual: if the high-dose therapy proves effective, the bone marrow transplantation will not be necessary, if it doesn�t � we will need such transplantation urgently. Anyway, now we need to purchase expensive medications and get prepared for the worst-case scenario, thought believe and hope for the better�, - told me Dmitry, Masha�s father.

The girl�s parents, Dmitry and Natalia, live and work only for their children. They want to give them quality education and good future, but this challenge they are facing now is ruining all their plans. Now the main thing is to save their daughter�s life. The life of the child is the life of the parents.

Now the life is hard for everyone. But still we ask you, our dear donors, to help save little Masha. This wonderful girl should have a chance to live, just like all other children, and only we can give her such a chance.

The family lives in the city of Zaporozhzhye.

Telephone number of Dmitry, the girl�s father: +38 067 762 54 52.

For additional information, please contact The Happy Child Foundation

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