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Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal.
Despite the efforts of doctors and love and support of families, friends and kind strangers from all over the world,
sometimes precious lives are cut too short. We will forever treasure the sweet memory of the children and young adults who lost their
courageous battles. In their honor, we go on and continue to work hard to help other young warriors.
This page is dedicated to the memory of children who are no longer with us.
Nikita Polischuk
When we first learned about Nikita in February 2009, the 15 year-old boy was hospitalized in Kiev Children’s Hospital in February 2009 in critical condition due to untreated cystic fibrosis. Nikita urgently needed antibiotics, enzymes, antifungal drugs, nutrition, and heart medications, most of which the hospital didn't have. Nikita's Mom Anna was raising him alone. At that time, she was always by his side and couldn’t raise enough money for his treatment (close to $2000.00 USD for 10 days worth of medications).
Once the information about Nikita was posted on Help Journal blog, it spread quickly and many people from across the globe reached out to help the boy. Volunteers purchased the necessary medications and brought them to the hospital. And despite the very poor prognosis, Nikita’s condition started to steadily improve, surprising even his doctors. Already in April, Nikita was able to leave the hospital for a few hours at a time without the oxygen tank and enjoy walks and picnics with his mom Anna. In May, he was released from the hospital and spent several months at home with his mom.
Sadly, on February 4, 2010 this brave boy whose story has touches so many people, had lost his battle. Nikita died in the Kiev Children Hospital in Ukraine where he had spent the previous several months due to a lung infection. Sadly, the complications were too sever for Nikita to overcome. Nikita's mother has lost her only son.
Nikita didn't even live to be 16 years old, and didn't have time to fullfill his childhood dream of learning to play an electric guitar and becoming a singer. However, in the past year, thanks to your help, Nikita's condition was stabilized, and he was able to spend several months at home with his Mom. He found many new friends, and received books, gifts and letters of support from overseas. We greatly appreciate your help for Nikita.
Just several days before he died, Nikita made a video where he thanked everyone for their help. Please watch this short video, it was made for all of you.
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Alesha Levantuev
The family of Alesha Levantuev moved to St. Petersburg from Ulan-Ude (Southeastern Siberia) to treat his little sister's chronic kidney disease.
In 2005, another disaster struck: 17-year-old Alesha was diagnosed with stage IV neuroblastoma that had spread to his bones and bone marrow.
At that time, Alesha's family turned to Advita and Help Journal to help pay for a drug called neupogen which Alesha needed to treat neutropenia, a potentially deadly
side effect of chemotherapy. This drug was not available in the hospital, and the family's finances were already stretched thin: with Alesha's mom having to care
for two seriously ill children, his dad's wages as a truck driver barely covered rent and food.
Thanks to generosity of many donors, the Help Journal raised enough money to pay for neupogen (total of $900). Alesha has undergone chemotherapy,
autologous bone marrow transplant, surgery and radiation therapy to remove the tumor. Treatment was successful, and Alesha went into remission.
In September 2007, he resumed his studies at St.Petersburg College of Economics and Finance.
Cancer remained at bay for two years. In May 2009, Alesha's annual check-up revealed it has returned. He was admitted to the hospital
and has undergone several rounds of chemotherapy. In October, his CT scan showed that Alesha succeeded in beating neuroblastoma for the second time. Unfortunately,
in the end of October Alesha suddenly developed an extremely dangerous intestinal fungal infection.
Infections can be deadly in the patients like Alesha, whose immune
system is suppressed by intensive chemotherapy. Alesha’s doctors performed several surgeries to remove the affected parts of the intestines.
He has also undergone intensive therapy with anti-fungal medications. The Help Journal, together with Advita foundation, had raised money to help
cover the cost of those expensive medications.
Unfortunately, the fungal infection was too severe, and Alesha passed away on January 10, 2010.
The doctors fought for his life until the last day.
We are grateful to all people who helped Alesha when he first fell ill four years ago. Thanks in part to this help, he was able to spend
several more years together with his family and friends and continue his education. And we thank everybody who helped him now,
even when his chances were very slight. Everybody who knew this quiet young man will remember his kind attitude to people and his courageous struggle against the deadly disease.
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Anna Soboleva
 In 2007, Anna Soboleva was in her junior year at university, full of
hopes for the future, dreaming about landing an exciting new job after graduation.
Unfortunately, a frightening diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia
turned the world of this cheerful 18-year old upside down. Since then, her life
became a string of victories and setbacks in her courageous fight against the disease. She celebrated New Years Eve, and then her
birthday, in the hospital, undergoing chemotherapy.
Despite pain and fatigue, Anna refused to put her studies on hold and kept on studying in the
hospital and taking tests during her short releases from the hospital between chemo rounds.
For a short while, disease retreated, but then it returned in 2009. At that time, her doctors believed that her best hope
of recovery was unrelated bone marrow transplant. A matching donor was found in German bone marrow donor registry.
Anna’s family and friends, with the help of our several charitable foundations including Advita and the Help Journal, have raised 17,500.00 Euros for
the donor activation and transporting bone marrow from Germany to St.Petersburg. On October 2, Anna received a transplant.
Unfortunately, bone marrow transplantation is a very dangerous procedure that carries many risks. After the transplant, Anna developed a sever form of graft-vs-host disease. Sadly, on December 30, 2009 the life of this courageous young woman was cut short. We will always treasure Anya's memory.
To see more of Anna's photos, please visit Anna's page on Avdita's website.
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Anzor Magomedov
Anzor Magomedov from Grozny, Chechen Republic, was born on August 2, 2002. He was only two years old
when he was diagnosed with a primitive neuroectodermal tumor in his head. Physicians in Grozny could
not help him, and Anzor’s mother Rossita brought him first to North Ossetia and then to the Russian Children’s Clinical Hospital in Moscow.
The boy endured numerous cycles of chemotherapy and radiation. Help Journal participated in raising money for Ampho-Moronal,
the drug Anzor needed to combat complications from chemotherapy, for diagnostic procedures and for living expenses of
Anzor’s family in Moscow.
Many people loved this friendly and courageous family and tried to help. Doctors in Moscow fought desperately to
save this little boy’s life. Unfortunately, despite all efforts, Anzor’s tumor resisted treatment. Its location made
surgical resection impossible, and chemotherapy with radiotherapy finally ceased to help. A secondary tumor appeared,
and nothing else could be done. Anzor died on May 4, 2006.
Here’s an excerpt from the Los Angeles Times article about Anzor:
"Rossita Magomedova of Grozny, a 31-year-old psychology teacher, didn't believe the doctors who said the mysterious swelling
in the jaw of her 3-year-old son, Anzor, was a complication from the mumps. She drove him to the neighboring republic
of North Ossetia, where she had to fight to get a doctor to see her son. He said the child had a tumor and needed immediate surgery.
When the tumor was found to be malignant, Magomedova bundled Anzor in blankets and flew
with him to the best children's hospital in Moscow. She headed straight to the office of the deputy chief physician.
"I put Anzor on the table. I said, 'A doctor like you gave him three days to live, and this is the third day. Let's watch him die.'
He immediately called in another doctor, and they admitted him."
The hospital gave Anzor top-flight medical care: chemotherapy and enough radiation treatment to shrink the tumor.
But not long after the boy was admitted, a new tumor was detected in his belly.
Week by week, Magomedova watched her son's life dim like dusk, flickering out on May 6."
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Kolya Muzyka
Kolya was born on January 11, 1991 in a village in Crimea, Ukraine. He had a rare genetic blood disorder: Fanconi’s anemia.
Unfortunately, in Kolya’s case it was diagnosed too late, only after his elder brother died of the same disease. By the time
the correct diagnosis was made, Kolya, like many Fanconi patients, had developed acute myeloid leukemia.
Kolya’s parents, already devastated by the death of one of their children, brought him to the Russian Children’s Clinical
Hospital in Moscow for treatment. Given the family situation, doctors in Italy graciously agreed to perform bone marrow
transplantation for Kolya for free. Help Journal joined in the efforts of many people to help Kolya. To treat a rare
infectious complication of his treatment, the boy needed Tygacil, an antibiotic not available in Russia or Ukraine. Help Journal
participated in raising money needed to purchase the drug the United States and rush it to Moscow.
Unfortunately, Kolya’s disease resisted treatment. Leukemia relapsed soon after bone marrow transplantation.
Kolya’s parents wanted to bring him home to Ukraine but ran out of time. Kolya died in hospital in Italy on April 3, 2006.
To read more about Kolya, please visit his page on the web site of our sister foundation Donors-for-Kids.
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Nastya Rogalevich
Nastya was born on Oct 31, 2004, in Segezha, a small town in Karelia (Russian Federation). This dearly loved baby girl
was seriously ill since birth: she had biliary atresia. Her only hope of survival was liver transplantation. At that time,
no hosptital in Russia was equipped to perform liver transplant on Nastya, given her very young age and critical condition.
Nastya’s only chance was to get treatment abroad. For that, an enormous sum was urgently needed: 85,000 Euros. M
any groups and foundations, including Help Journal, united their efforts to help the tiny girl. However, there was not enough time.
Nastya died on May 5, 2005. She was just six months old.
However, the legacy of this little girl lives on. In her memory, a foundation for helping children
with biliary atresia ( Nastya Rogalevich support network) was created in Russia.
Since then, it has successfully helped dozens of children with this potentially fatal disorder get life-saving treatment.
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Artem Beletsky
Artem Beletsky from the Leningrad region of Russia was two years old when he was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia.
His disease didn’t respond well to standard chemotherapy, and Artem’s best hope for a cure for his leukemia was a bone
marrow transplant. Help Journal joined the AdVita foundation in raising funds for search for a suitable donor for Artem in
an international bone marrow registry, and for graft harvesting. A matching donor was found, and Artem underwent a
bone marrow transplant in December 2005. But bone marrow transplant is a dangerous procedure, which carries the risk of
life-threatening complications. Artem died of graft vs. host disease on February 23, 2006.
He will forever be in our hearts. To read more about Artem, please visit his page on website of AdVita foundation.
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Dasha Vranchan
Nine-year old Dasha Vranchan from Kronstadt, a suburb of St. Petersburg, had a rare form of leukemia:
acute monocytic leukemia. Her doctors felt her best option was bone marrow transplantation. None of Dasha’s relatives
turned out to be a suitable match for her, and search for an unrelated donor was necessary. Help Journal participated in
rasing money to pay for the search in the international bone marrow registry.
The required sum was raised quickly, and Dasha underwent transplantation in December 2005. Unfortunately,
she developed a severe form of graft versus host disease, a life threatening immune reaction where donor cells attack organs and tissues.
Dasha passed away on January 8, 2006. To read more about Dasha, please visit her page on website of the AdVita foundation.
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Boris Boyko
Boris (born January 16, 1983) from Stavropol Region (Southern Russia) was a talented, courageous young man with a keen sense of humor.
In the short time that we had known him, he became a wonderful friend to many of us.
Boris had been seriously ill since he was 13. First, spinal muscular atrophy confined him to a wheelchair.
In 2001 Boris was diagnosed with a rare type of cancer: malignant hemangiopericytoma of anterior abdominal wall.
After several recurrences, he was sent for treatment to Blokhin Oncological Research Center in Moscow. Help Journal participated in
raising money for two chemotherapy drugs (Gemzar and Taxol) for him.
Despite the doctors’ best efforts and timely treatment, Boris has lost his courageous fight in early 2006,
soon after his 23rd birthday. To read more about Boris, please visit his page on the website of AdVita foundation.
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Mantas Lavrenovas
Mantas (born September 25, 2001) from Lithuania was only three years old when he was diagnosed with embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma
of the bladder. In a desperate attempt to save her little boy after treatment in his home country failed to put him in remission,
Mantas’ mother decided to take him to the Russian Children’s Clinical Hospital in Moscow, where physicians are more experienced
in treating this type of tumor. Since Mantas was not a Russian citizen, his family had to pay for his treatment and hospital stay
out-of-pocket. However, the family’s finances had already been exhausted by his treatment in Lithuania.
Hundreds of people in Moscow and all over the world were touched by the story of this little boy and
supported him and his family during their stay in Russia. Help Journal took part in the fundraising efforts to pay for Mantas’
treatment. Mantas had surgery in May 2005 and started chemo and radiation therapy. Unfortunately, it turned out that the
treatment was started too late. Cancer had already spread to his lungs, and all attempts to stop or slow the progression of the
disease failed. His parents took Mantas tome to Lithuania, where he passed away in his sleep on February 22, 2006.
Mantas brought together many people who tried their best to help this courageous and bright little boy.
He was dearly loved by everybody who knew him.
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