Archive

December 28, 2012 We have news from Andrew Slobodyanyuk. He has just returned from Moscow, where he has undergone extensive testing in a specialized cystic fibrosis clinic. Now that he has all necessary test results, he has begun the search for a European hospital that would accept him for further testing and hopefully, for a double lung transplant. (Such surgeries are not performed in Ukraine, where Andrew lives.) Andrew sends his Christmas greetings and best wishes for the New Year.

December 27, 2012 Dear Friends, we thank everyone who helped raise money for a special stroller for Natasha Nekrasova. We have finally gathered the necessary funds, and transfered tehm to Natasha's Mom. They will order the stroller after holidays. It will be made to order, and will likely be ready by March. We will let you know when Natasha finally receives it. Natasha's Mom thanks all of you: "Thank you to all the donors for kindness and understanding. Thank you for your kind hearts!"

December 24, 2012. Dear Help Journal Donor,

The volunteers of The Help Journal wish you and your loved ones happiness and peace in the New Year! With your help, in 2012 The Help Journal was able to provide funds necessary for the timely treatment to several children and adults with cystic fibrosis in Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan. Together, we have been able to provide ongoing support to these children for several years.

We have also been able to purchased rehabilitation equipment such as wheelchair and gait trainer for two little girls with neurologic disorders.

We want to extend our sincere gratitude to you for making a donation in the past year. As the New Year is approaching, please consider an end-of-year donation to Help Journal.

December 10, 2012.Good news from Serezha Sukhodubov. His Mom Oksana writes: "We are doing well. Serezha hasn't been sick all summer, and feels well after his last hospital stay in Moscow. We were also able to get Pulmozyme for free. We spent this past summer in the village, staying with my parents. At first, I was apprehensive about going there, as there is no hospital nearby and no indoor plumbing. But the fresh air did wonders for Serezha. The air quality is horrible where we live, as there are coal mines and plants all around. So Serezha is doing really well now, deleloping just like other kids his age. Thank you for all your help and for making it possible to get regular treatment in Moscow. I don't know what we would be doing without it!"

We are looking for a sponsor for Serezha, who would be willing to buy and send him SkandiShake and specialize vitamins once in a few months. Please, contact us if you would like to do it. Thank you!

December 10, 2012. Dear friends, we would like to thank all who helped pay for the treatment of Oleg and Denis Tambovcev in a Moscow clinic.

Here is what their Mom wrote us: "Thanks to you, boys got all necessary tests and treatment. As you know, when we arrived in Moscow, both boys were not doing well. Oleg had difficulty breathing, his heart was not working well, he had a high fever due to infection. Doctors started him on iv antibiotics right away, and ran all the tests. Oleg got to know other kids in the hospital and became good friends with many of them. Together they did physiotherapy, played, did crafts, talked.

Doctors also ran tests on Denis. His condition is not good but at least it's stable. He also enjoyed his hospital stay and made many new friends. He enjoyed his physiotherapy the most. The worst part for him was gastroscopy, which really scared him. I would like to express my gratitude to all people that are helping us. It makes me happy to think that even in our cruel world there are people who deeply care about our problems. As a mother, I am very thankful to all the strangers who shared our pain with us and became dear to us."

The boys' Mom also sent us the pictures of Oleg's new works.

Both brothers need SkandiShake and specialized vitamins (ADEKs) daily. If someone reading this wants to get in touch with the family and send them Skandishake and vitamins on a regular basis, please, let us know. Thank you!

December 8, 2012. Our Australian Chapter has been established only a months ago but they have already raised $320 for the kids and adults we are helping. We thank all of our donors from Australia!

December 7, 2012. Not long ago we raised money to purchase antibiotics for Andrew Slobodyanyuk. Now Andrew needs to travel to Moscow for a series of medical tests to assess whether he is a good candidate for a lung transplant. Our friends from a Ukrainian foundation that helps critically ill adults "HelpUs" is helping Andrew. Here is what Ira Gavrisheva who works with HelpUs, writes: "HelpUs is our new site dedicated to helping adults. Our new labor of love. It is still in its infancy and not many people know about it. As a result, we are not able to raise as much as we'd like. And we would really like to help Andrew Slobodyanyuk raise 2,000 Hryvna that is still needed for his trip to Moscow. It's a small sum, if we were only talking about a child. But Andrew is an adult, and it takes a incredible amount of effort to get people to help adults. "

November 6, 2012. We urgently need to raise $2000 to pay for a hospital stay in a specialized clinic at the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences for Vlad Brushko. Brushko's family arrives in Moscow on November 19th. They will also likely need our help in purchasing medications to take home with them, as many drugs might not be available in Ukraine.

October 9, 2012. Fall Fair in New York. Dear Friends! Join us for a day of family fun! Fall Fair will take place on October 20, 2012, from 12:00 untill 4:00 pm as 155 Bank Street, New York City. Activities for adults and kids of all ages:

Games and crafts

Live music by Lana Sokolov (piano)

Apple pie competition - bake, bring, win the prize!

Best children books directly from Moscow from the leading publishing houses

Hand-crafted jewelry and gifts for all occasions

The Fair is sponsored by New York Plus Plus, Pink Giraffe, Roobrics, and organized by volunteers. Admission is free! All proceeds will benefit children with cystic fibrosis. Visit our Facebook page to learn more about the Fair and to invite your friends.

October 2, 2012. Dear friends! We would like to thank all of your who helped raise money to cover the cost of urgent hospitalization for Oleg and Denis Tambovcev. We have raised $2250, and the boys will arrive in Moscow on October 8. They will start their treatment on the same day.

September 25, 2012. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we were able to pay for a course of treatment with a costly antibiotic Meronem for Andrew Slobodyanyuk. We thank all of you!

September 23, 2012. Yesterday was a 12th birthday of Natasha Nekrasova. For her birthday, a fifth-grader asked for a specialized stroller so her Mom can take her outside and to school. You see, Natasha has cerebral palsy. Unfortunately, the price of the stroller is $2.5 K, as it is a specilized rehab stroller for older children and adults. Natasha is raised by a single Mom and they have no family who can help. Let's give Natasha a gift of mobility to Natasha for her birthday. With your support, we can do it!

July 25, 2012. We are starting to raise funds to cover the cost of life-saving medications for Andrew Slobodyanyuk. Andrew Slobodyanyuk from Vinnitsa is 29. We never think of 29 as being old, but for a person living with cystic fibrosis in Ukraine to survive into late 20s is an amazingly rare accomplishment. Andrew is a true fighter, he keeps on living and tries to enjoy every single day. He needs our help in purchasing life-saving medications and an oxygen concentrator. Let?s help him!

We are also continuing to raise money to pay for the trip to Moscow for treatment for brothers Oleg and Denis Tambovcev. The health of both boys has deteriorated, and they urgently need inpatient treatment in a hospital. Thank you for your help!

June 5, 2012. We would like to thank all our donors for the help you have provided to Tambovtsev family. Oleg and Denis, together with their Mom, are back from treatment in Moscow. Unfortunately, the news is not good: condition of both boys has deteriorated. Oleg has an enlarged spleen, Denis is having problems with his pancreas, and both boys have developed liver complications. Boys must be admitted for inpatient treatment which is scheduled for November 15th. The cost of treatment for both boys is estimated at 80000 RUB. This amount is prohibitively high for the family, and we once again ask for your help to raise money for Denis and Oleg. We will need to raise 80000 RUB or 2700$ by November. We know that with your help everything is possible!

May 23, 2012. Eugene Reshetnikov returned from his semi-annual check-up in Moscow. His Mom Valeria writes: "Everything went wonderful and without a hitch. Eugene felt great! Blood and sputum tests are clear. Eugene's condition is stable, and if it stays that way during the summer, we will not need to go for treatment in the fall. The only necessary appointment will be an EEG in Almaty. Volunteers brought a new nebulizer and Scandishake for Eugene. Thank you for the chance you are giving our son! You are giving him a gift of life!"

April 11, 2012. Last year, the Help Journal raised money for a course of treatment with antibiotic Colistin for Oleg Tambovcev. Now Oleg and his little brother Denis need our help again. Both brothers need to travel to a specialized clinic in Moscow for the necessary tests and treatment at least once a year. As the boys are not citizens of Russia, their parents need to pay for doctors?s consultations, tests, medications and travel expenses out of pocket. In the past, Kazakh authorities occasionally partially covered those expenses. Unfortunately, this year the family is struggling to raise enough money. Th health of both boys is deteriorating quickly, and they need to be seen by the doctors in Moscow soon. To cover the costs of outpatient tests and treatments for both brothers, 40000 Rub (or about 1350 dollars) is needed. Please, help us raise the necessary funds for the boys to get urgently needed treatment! To read the letter from the boys' Mom and see their new picture, visit their page.

April 5, 2012. Once again, Grisha Yakunin needs our help. Last year, we purchased a portable oxygen concentrator for Grisha. It works great and helps Grisha tremendously. Right now, we urgently need to raise $6000 USD to cover the cost of three course of treatment with antibiotic Zyvox©. Over the past year, Grisha suffered several acute exacerbations of cystic fibrosis but, luckily, he recovered. He had his last inpatient course of intravenous antibiotics in the end of March.

Ludmila, Grisha's Mom: "Grisha is doing better now. While using inhaled Colistin ©, he managed to stave off exacerbations for over 2 months after his last inpatient stay, gained 2 kg and grew by 1 cm. Our main issue now is the lack of antibiotics as the ones that help Grisha are very expensive. This is a serious problem for us, as it is often not possible to be admitted to hospital for treatment when Grisha?s condition worsens: sometimes, there are no available beds available, or the hospital runs out of medications and we have to wait for the bidding to supply them and for delivery. This coming summer, the hospital where Grisha is usually treated will be closed for 1,5 months. We always need to have our own supply of antibiotic Zyvox©, in case we leave town and Grisha suddenly feels worse. We need to have enough Zyvox for at least one course of treatment (14 days) but a 6-week supply (3 rounds of treatment) would be optimal. I try to get medication through government health services but I am rarely successful. Last year, we were lucky to get an emergency subsidy to pay for one 14-day course. I will try again this year. I received emergency help from our social services, that amount payed for 14 days of Zivox! This year I will again. So far, my correspondence with the health authority in our city hasn?t been successful but I am not about to give up".

Antibiotics should never be used in doses that are lower than therapeutic or stopped before completing full course of treatment as it results in bacteria becoming resistant to the particular drug. Unfortunately, this is common practice when antibiotics are in short supply. Grisha needs a full course of treatment every time he has a lung infection. Last year, it happened five times. We would like him to have enough medication for at least three treatment courses should he need treatment again when the local hospital is unable to admit him. The total amount we need is $6000 USD. Please, help Grisha stay as healthy as possible! You can see more of Grisha?s new photos on his page.

March 20, 2012. We have great news to share - we were able to purchase a gait trainer for Veronika Sorokina in the United States. Few days ago, it was delivered to Kaliningrad! You can see new picture of Veronika on her page. Here is what Veronika's Mom wrote: "We are overjoyed! The gait trainer is large and very sturdy. The size is perfect for Veronika, and it should last her a long time. It works great and is very simple to use. Yesterday Veronika was just standing in it, and today she was able to move in it a little. Slowly but surely! Dear Anna, we would like to send our heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped Veronika and gave her the happiness of being able to stand and see the world just like everyone else does!" We hope that the gait trainer will help with Veronika's rehabilitation and would like to thank everyone who took part in fundraising for Veronika.

March 15, 2012. Eugene Reshetnikov is getting ready for his semi-annual hospitalization in Moscow. The admission date is already scheduled for May 9th . Eugene and his Mom Valeria are preparing all necessary documents and tests. Eugene has grown a lot, take a look at his recent photos!

March 10, 2012. Dear friends! Once again, we are asking for your help in raising money for Eugene Reshetnikov and Serezha Sukhodubov. Both boys need to go to a specialized clinic (now called Scientific Center for Children?s Health of Russian Academy of Medical Sciences) in Moscow for their annual testing and treatment. Eugene?s hospitalization is scheduled for April 12. From the time of his last hospital stay, Eugene has been ill several times. Luckily, he was able to get better without being hospitalized. He is still recovering from his last infection, is still very weak and is staying in bed most of the time. He needs specialized nutrition to regain the weight he lost. On a more positive note, Eugene learned his alphabet this winter and is now learning how to read! Serezha Sukhodubov has also been ill quite often recently, and he needs a course of treatment with iv antibiotics. He needs tests to determine which antibiotics would be optimal to target the bacteria in his lungs. His hospitalization has not been scheduled yet but it would have to be within the next two months.

March 8, 2012. Once again, Serezha Sukhodubov needs to travel to Moscow for his in-patient treatment. His admission is scheduled for April 18th, and it will cost $2600 USD. Serezha is doing not too bad overall but the frequency of acute infections has increased and he needs to be once again evaluated and treated by specialists. Please, help Serezha to stay well!

December 12, 2011. We would like to thank all of you for helping us raise enough money to pay for Vlad Brushko's treatment in Moscow. We were even able to purchase a new nebulizer for him, as it needs to be replaced every year, and a supply of medications that should last Vlad for a year. Doctors were also able to successfully treat Vlad's persistent sinus infection. Vlad and his Mom Nelya thank all of you!

December 5, 2011. Despite facing daily challenges due to their health problems, many of our young patients find times for passions and hobbies: Grisha Yakunin makes wonderful clay models, and Oleg Tambovcev creates masterpieces with beadwork and embroidery. Check out Oleg's latest works on his page!

December 1, 2011. We are beginning to raise money for antibiotic Colistin for Oleg Tambovcev from Aktobe, Kazakhstan. Last time Oleg came very close to losing his battle against cystic fibrosis, he said: ?If you can?t help me ? at least save my little brother!? Both Oleg and his five-year-old brother Denis suffers from cystic fibrosis. Fortunately, with proper and timely medical care, both boys can grow up and live happy and productive lives, but they need our help. There are no doctors specializing in treating kids with cystic fibrosis in Kazakhstan, so at least twice a year boys need to travel to a specialized clinic in Moscow for testing and treatment. Their family has to pay for these hospital stays as well as for many necessary medications out of their pocket. Without the help of strangers, they often cannot afford to pay boys? medical bills. Right now, Oleg urgently needs a three month course of treatment with antibiotic Colistin, the only drug that can fight P. aeruginosa infection that is threatening to destroy his lungs. Our partner foundation Advita has purchased 100 bottles of the drug, but 80 more are still needed, as the treatment will not be successful if not completed. We need to raise approximately $2000 to pay for it. Please, help Oleg feel better again!

November 30, 2011. Good news from Eugene Reshetnikov: tests came back clear ! Because Eugene was able to get a timely treatment in Moscow thanks to generous Help Journal generous donors, it was effective. Once again, doctors are able to keep Eugene's disease under control. Here is what his Mom wrote to us: "I can't wait to share good news with you: sputum cultures came back negative for Staphylococcus! It means, we caught it in time! It scares me to even think of what would have happened, had we not been able to go to hospital in Moscow. Our entire family thanks all Help Journal donors from the bottom of our hearts. By giving us this chance, you have overted the disaster." Eugene's next trip to Moscow for tests and treatment is planned for April 2012.

November 6, 2011. Eugene Reshetnikov, a five-year-old boy whom we have been helping for a few years now, has just returned from his semi-annual check-up and treatment in Moscow Institute of Pediatrics cystic fibrosis clinic. There is bad news: tests showed the presence of active Staph. Aureus infection. Staph. Aureus is a type of bacteria that occurs naturally in many healthy individuals and is harmless in the general population. However, in people suffering from cystic fibrosis it can cause a life-threatening pulmonary infection. The good news is that the culture test was done on time and treatment was started immediately, while Eugene was still in Moscow. We hope that timely treatment will take care of the infection, just like it did the last time Eugene had staph infection back in 2009. Another culture test will be done soon to assess how successful the treatment really was. We thank everyone who continues to help Eugene and who made it possible for the Help Journal to pay for this recent hospitalization in Moscow.

October 12, 2011. We are currently raising funds for a gait trainer for five-year-old Veronika Sorokina from Kaliningrad, Russia. As the result of a complications at birth, Veronika has cerebral palsy. A professor of neurology from Germany who has examined the girl believes that Veronika?s development will significantly benefit from being upright and using a device such as a gait trainer. The total price for the device together with all necessary accessories is $2843.50. We would like to invite all who wish to help Veronika to donate and thank all of you for your support! You can read Veronika?s story on her page.

September 20, 2011. Due to his condition, Eugene Reshetnikov doesn't tolerate hot dry summers in his native Kazakhstan well. This summer, his Mom Valeria took him to a village in Russia. Eugene really enjoyed his time there, taking long walks in the woods, picking mushrooms and berries. You can see pictures from there trip on Eugene's page.

Now summer's over and Eugene and Valeria are back in Kazakhstan. Valeria and the organization of Kazakh parents of children suffering from cystic fibrosis that Valeria has created continue to fight for mproving the access to necessary medications for cystic fibrosis patients in Kazakhstan. They already had their first victory: government began supplying the children with Pulmozyme and Creon.

In the meanwhile, Eugene is scheduled to return to Moscow for tests and treatment on October 17 of this year. Once again, we ask all of our donors to help us raise money to pay Eugene?s hospital bills. Valeria tries to save as much money as she can, and still has some money left over from the previous trip, but we anticipate they will need at least additional $1500.

September 19, 2011. In the past few months, Serezha Sukhodubov has suffered several bouts of lung infection. Fortunately, the family still has all the necessary medications from their last trip to Moscow, and it has so far been possible to successfully treat those infections at home, under the guidance of the doctors from Moscow. Serezha?s doctors believe will not need to return to Moscow clinic this fall unless his condition worsens. During his last hospitalization, they ran all the necessary tests and developed a treatment plan that his Mom and pediatricians in Ukraine can follow until the next visit. Serezha will need to go to a regional children?s hospital in Donetsk to get the bacterial culture tests. Serezha?s Mom will use the funds remaining from their trip to Moscow clinic to pay for this planned hospitalization in the regional children?s hospital and for Serezha?s medications for the rest of the year. Recently, we have also sent Serezha a package with vitamins Aquadeks and nutritional supplement Scandishake. We are grateful to everyone who continues to support Serezha. You can see his latest pictures on his page.

August 22, 2011.The Help Journal purchased a wheelchair for Sasha Stashenko, and in May the family has already received it. We would like to thank all of our donors for their generous contributions. This new wheelchair will tremendously improve the quality of life for Sasha and her family, and will make it easier for Sasha’s Mom to take her daughter that to a clinic in Moscow for assessment and treatment.

August 20, 2011. We would like to thank everyone who helped raise money for a portable oxygen concentrator for Grisha Yakunin. Our volunteer Svetlana Kolesnik and her friend Stas delivered it to Grisha this past June. The device will increase Grisha’s quality of life tremendously: he will now be able to go outside, enjoys many of his favorite activities such as bowling, and even go for a short vacation with his parents this summer.

Svetlana had a chance to spend some time with Grisha and his family. Here’s what she writes: “The concentrator arrived shortly before my family was to leave for this trip. It is quite small in size. It fits into a carry-on but it was to make a big difference in Grisha's life. My friend and classmate, Stas, and I were able to deliver the concentrator a week after my arrival. Stas is also a strong supporter of many of my charity projects. He is also my tireless driver, as I don't have a car in Saint Petersburg which limits somewhat my traveling. I met Grisha, his mom Liudmila and his dad Mikhail. They are very modest and friendly people, and it was a pleasure to spend an hour in their home drinking tea with wild strawberry - what a treat for me!

Grisha preferred his pictures to be taken from the side so this is how we all looked on that day. I also took a picture of Grisha's creations. He is very patient and enjoys making them.

The family is very grateful for the possibility of an outdoor activity for Grisha, even though one of the first activities with this concentrator was a trip to the hospital. But this is life and it goes on. A small vacation trip is also planned and I very much hope it happens before the summer ends.”

Here is an excerpt from a letter Grisha's mom Liudmila wrote to us: "…Yesterday Svetlana brought the new concentrator to us. It is so compact and light! This is a dream come true! Thank you to everybody! I am so happy, I can’t stop smiling! From the bottom of my heart, I’d like to send wishes of joy and happiness to everybody. Our fight against this disease goes on. In the darkest times, God sends us a person whom we never met and who shouldn't care for us even a bit, and a miracle happens - that person treats me as his own relative and friend. I wouldn’t believe it was even possible if it hadn’t happened to me. And this way I get to know the people I call saints. Because of them Grisha is with me. Svetlana has also brought Grisha lots of gifts, and he is now in a much better mood. Please give our thanks to everybody. Liudmila Yakunina."

April 22, 2011. Zhenya Reshetnikov and his Mom are back home after another course of treatment in Moscow. There is bad news: in Moscow, Zhenya was diagnosed with epilepsy, and now he has to take anticonvulsive drugs to control the seizures which, while not severe, still influenced his condition significantly. We hope the treatment will help Zhenya feel better. Zhenya's mother Valeriya continutes to try and convince the government to cover the necessary medications for Zhenia. In the meanwhile, she will use remaining from the funds raised for Zhenya’s hospitalization to purchase necessary medicines. We have good news as well: Zhenya's cystic fibrosis is stable, he has even gained some weight while in the hospital.To all of you, who made Zhenya’s trip to Moscow for tests and treatment possible – thank you!

April 7, 2011 Eugene and his Mom Valeria arrived in Moscow on April 4 for the next round of tests and treatment in specialized cystic fibrosis clinic. Valeria writes: "It took us three days to get to Moscow. Despite Eugene getting ill right before we had to leave, we had a rather good trip. When we arrived, Eugene ws so tired he slept for the whole day. Now we have finally settled, and Eugene is undergoing necessary test and getting treated. Some of the test results, including the bacterial culture test that is necessary to select appropriate antibiotics, are not known yet. In general, Eugene's condition has been rather stable which is good news for the kids with cystic fibrosis. What's bad is that he has lost several kilograms in the past few months due to illnesses, and it is always a struggle to gain the weight back and keep it on. But we are hopeful that after the current round of treatment he'll be able to put on some weight.

While we are waiting for the test results, Eugene is really enjoying playing with other kids here. At home, he mostly stays home and doesn't have too many chances to make friends. Also, next week he will be seen by a neurologist. Eugene's is happy to tell everyone here the poems he has learnt, which is a huge improvement for him - before, he really struggled with memory, and now he can memorize long poems. And he has been showing off his dancing to the nurses here in the hospital. We are very grateful to everyone who is helping our son get the necessary treatment, and wish all of you the best. Thank you!"

We'd like to thank everyone who has contributed to the Help Journal and helped Eugene continue to receive the treatment that he needs to stay healthy and grow. Please, continue to support this wonderful little boy!

April 6, 2011. Angelina and Kristina arrived in the clinic in Truskavets last week. Their Mom Alena writes: "Girls are undergoing rehabilitation therapy. They are both working very hard in physical therapy and and enjoying it very much. Both of them show significant improvements in the muscle tone. Angelina is now able to flex her arms, and her back muscles are getting stronger. And Kristina is almost ready to take first steps without a walker - she just needs to overcome her fear and let go. With four more days to go, we are hopeful that we will see even more improvements, which will become even more apparents when the girls are back home and rested. We are all very thankful to everyone who helped make this trip a reality!"

We would like to thank everyone who donated and made it possible for us to cover this round of treatment for Angelina and Kristina. Thanks to you, the girls are one step closer to living their dream of walking to school next year! Please, continue supporting them. The girls are working very hard but they still have a long road ahead of them.

March 31, 2011. Serezha Sukhodubov suffered several bouts of severe lung infections over the course of the past winter, and therefore it was really important for him to come back to CF clinic in Moscow for tests and treatment this spring. Thanks to generosity of the Help Journal donors, we were able to pay for his treatment, as well as for travel for Serezha and his Mom, Oksana. Serezha is in Moscow since the last week, and will likely go back home next week. He has been treated by IV antibiotics, and right now his doctors are satisfied with his lung function. Unfortunately, the disease is starting to take a toll on his heart - Serezha is developing a common complication of cystic fibrosis, pulmonary heart disease. To help control it, Serezha's doctors have prescribed several heart medications that he will have to take while he is at home in Ukraine. They have also prescribed antibiotic fluomycin to combat lung infections, and adjusted the dozes of other medications he is taking daily. Please, help us cover the costs of those medications. As maintaining healthy weight is a challenge for Serezha but is necessary for his overall health, the doctors are recommending that he continue taking nutritional supplement ScandiShake daily. Please, if you or someone you know is traveling to Ukraine from US or Canada, we would greatly appreciate it if you took at least some ScandiShake with you for Serezha and other Ukrainian children suffering form cystic fibrosis. It is not currently available in Ukraine but can be easily purchased without a prescription in North America. Please, let us know and we will be happy to order it and have it shipped to your address.

February 22, 2011. Both Serezha Sukhodubov and Eugene Reshetnikov need to come back to Moscow to Institute of Pediatrics this spring for the next course of treatment and tests necessary to assess their condition and adjust the doses of the medications they use daily. Unfortunately, both boys suffered through several severe bout of respiratory infections over this winter. Eugene's parents have joined other parents of Kazakh children affected by cystic fibrosis and formed a parent organization with the goal of improving standards of care for the cystic fibrosis patients in their country. You can read about their efforts in the News section of Eugene's page. However, it will take time before their hard work brings about the necessary changes, and Eugene and other children like him can't wait. Eugene's visit to Moscow clinic is scheduled for April 4, 2011, and we are asking for your help in raising the necessary funds to cover the costs of hospitalization.

Like Eugene, Serezha needs to travel to Moscow in April 2011 as well. Unfortunately, Serezha's family situation has changed and his Mom is now raising him alone, making finding money for his treatment so much more difficult. The cost of his hospitalization for Serezha will likely be over $2000, and we are asking all of our donors to support this little boy once again.

Scheduled trip to a specialized cerebral palsy clinic in Truskavets, Ukraine for twins Angelina and Kristina Fedorov is coming up very soon, in the end of March. While a portion of the funds necessary to pay for this course of treatment has been already raised thanks to many donors all over the world, we would like to ask you to help us raise the remaining portion, or about $4000.

February 19, 2011. This winter has been difficult for Eugene Reshetnikov - he suffered through several severe resperatory infections, and wasn't able to attend pre-school. He misses playing with friends and is hoping to return to classes this spring. His doctors in Moscow want to see him back in the clinic for another course of treatment and tests on April 4, 2011. Eugene's family is relying on all of us to raise enough money to pay for his next hospital stay.

In the meanwhile, Eugene's parents have joined forces with several other families affected by cystic fibrosis, and have registered a parent organization "Disabled children with cystic fibrosis". Recently, Kazakh medical news internet portal has published an article about the newly formed organization. The goal of these parents is to lobby the government of Kazakhstan to adopt a national program for providing children and adults suffering from cystic fibrosis with necessary medications. Currently, many of the medications used treat symptoms of cystic fibrosis, such as Pulmozyme and many antibiotics are not even approved for use by Kazakh ministry of health, and therefore are impossible to purchase in the country. Unfortunately, financial difficulties are not the only problem facing families of cystic fibrosis patients in Kazakhstan. Many affected children are undiagnozed, or diagozed too late. The ones who do get the official diagnosis often find themselves completely isolated: as Eugene's Mom Valeria told us, for the past three years they have been asking the officials at Institute of Pediatrics to help parents of affected children meet each other and form a support group, but their requestes have been denied. Only after publication of the information about Eugene online they were contacted by many other families in their country who found themselves in the same circumstances. Unfortunately, many of the children are not getting treated - instead of antibiotics and other inhaled medications, their pediatricians who are not trained in the modern treatment protocols are prescribing herbal remedies to combat the respiratory symptoms.

If you are able and willing to help Valeria and other parents of Kazakh children suffering from cystic fibrosis with creating a site for their organization and spreading the word about it, or you would like to offer them support in any other way, please, write to us at contact@helpjournal.org and we will help you get in touch with them.

September 15, 2010. Since September 2, Serezha Sukhodubov has been hospitalized in Pulmonology Department of Moscow Institute of Pediatrics. Doctors are running various tests in order to determine the best course of treatment for him. We thank all of our donors who made it possible for the Help Journal to pay for his hospital stay and for transportation expenses for Serezha and his Mom.

December 22, 2010. Thanks to your support, several children including Eugene Reshetnikov and Sergey Sukhobudov received the necessary treatment for cystic fibrosis in 2010. Both Sergey and Eugene were able to come to Moscow to receive treatment that is not available in their home countries. We are happy to tell you that they are doing much better and have enough medical supplies to last them until they come back to Moscow in March. We also raised funds to purchase a wheelchair, a standing frame and a bathing appliance for Katya Samokhina, who has cerebral palsy. And last but surely not least – this year we provided more than 30 children with Scandishake nutritional supplements! We couldn’t do any of it without your help!

December 20, 2010. We are now raising money for twin sisters Angelina and Kristina, who have cerebral palsy and need rehabilitation treatment in a specialized clinic. You can give the twins a Christmas present right now!

July 25, 2010. Unfortunately for many cystic fibrosis patients in Ukraine, there are presently no specialized cystic fibrosis clinics in this country. On recomendation of Serezha's doctor as well as the US pediatritian that consults the Help Journal, his parents sought admission to the nearest clinic that specializes in treating children with CF in order to address his recurring health problems and establish a course of treatment for the nearest future. The good news is that inpatient CF clinic in Moscow Institute of Pulmonology has agreed to admit him in September. The bad news is that since Serezha is a foreign national, his family will have to pay for his stay at the hospital and cover the costs of tests and medications. While we won't know the exact amount needed, the estimate is around $2000. Again, we ask for your help in raising funds for Serezha's treatment.

June 20, 2010. Thanks to your continued support, we were able to purchase necessary medical equipment, including a nebulizer and a pulse oximeter for Serezha Sukhodubov. Serezha's parents, and all of us at Help Journal thank you for your generosity.

March 15, 2010. With your help, we have raised enough money to purchase a wheelchair, a standing frame and a bathing appliance for Katya Samokhina. We will keep you updated on the girl's progress. Thank you for your generosity!

February 4, 2010. Nikita Polischuk died today in the Kiev Children Hospital in Ukraine where he has spent the past 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.

For the past year, Help Journal has been raising money for Nikita's treatment. Unfortunately, when we started helping Nikita, his disease has already progressed too far, and the damage to the lungs and heart was irreversible. For most of his life, Nikita didn't have adequate treatment and medication management for his disease, just like thousands of other children and adults with cystic fibrosis in Russia and Ukraine.

Nikita didn't even live to be 16 years old. 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 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.

 

January 10, 2010. Alesha Levantuev passed away today. His condition had been extremely serious for the last two months, and yet Alesha continued to fight despite the odds of recovery being very slim. Unfortunately, the fungal infection was too severe, and even the most advanced drugs and two surgeries could not beat it. We are grateful to all people who helped Alesha when he first fell ill four years ago and recently, when his disease returned. Everyone who was fortunate to meet knew this remarkable young man will remember his kind attitude to people and his courageous fight against the deadly disease. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Alesha's family.

November 29, 2009. Alesha Levantuev is in critical condition now as his intestinal infection worsened. Tomorrow the doctors will attempt to remove nectrotic tissue from his intestines. Alesha may need expensive antibiotics Noxafil and Amfolip after the surgery.

November 25, 2009. Anna Soboleva has severe form of graft-versus-host disease, a complication of the bone marrow transplant. She is hospitalized in the intensive care unit. Her parents need help purchasing medications she urgently needs, Albumin and Vfend. Please help Anna battle her condition!

November 3, 2009. Alesha Levantuev has been receiving expensive treatment with antibiotics for the intestinal infection. His condition is stable; however, he may need additional funds for treatment. We'll be updating soon.

October 26, 2009. Alesha Levantuev suddenly developed acute appendicitis, and needed urgent surgery. While the surgery went well, Alesha still has a high fever and a very low white blood cell count. He is being treated with antibiotics and leukostim.

October 13, 2009. Alesha Levantuev is completing the forth round of chemotherapy, and is doing well. A CT scan didn’t show any regions with high uptake of contrast agent.

September, 2009. Sadly, one of our previous patients, Alexei Levantuev, has suffered a relapse of neuroblastoma after being cancer-free for 2 years. He is currently undergoing chemotherapy at a St. Petersburg hospital. Alesha has not yet requested financial assistance from HelpJournal but we are following his story closely and wish Alesha quick and full recovery. If you would like to help Alesha and his family during his current course of treatment, please visit his page on website of our sister-foundation Advita.