A 2-year-old with the worst cancer... We are begging you to save our only child!

A terrible diagnosis has fallen upon our only son... Little Aleksander is suffering from a terrifying disease, Stage IV Neuroblastoma. It’s one of the worst childhood cancers, targeting the youngest, most vulnerable, and innocent. We beg for help to save Aleksander’s life! He’s only two years old; he can’t die.

On May 16, 2024, Aleksander’s second birthday, nothing indicated that our lives would soon turn upside down and that we would enter the oncological hell. Even in our darkest nightmares, we never imagined it would affect us and that we would have to go through it.

The weekend after his birthday, we went to his grandparents to celebrate. Aleksander was playing, as usual, running and jumping, and he was picking on his grandfather. Unexpectedly, he started vomiting. We thought it was from playing too much, but the vomiting continued into the evening, along with a mild fever. We were convinced that food poisoning upset his stomach, especially since the symptoms stopped the next day, leaving only a mild fever.

On Monday, we took our son to the doctor. The physical examination did not indicate any illness; everything was normal, and there were no infections. However, a CRP test was done at the clinic, and its result worried the doctor. We were referred for an abdominal ultrasound. The examination took a long time; it was difficult to see exactly what was in the retroperitoneal space, but SOMETHING was there. That’s when the first alarm went off that something was wrong.

We were urgently referred to a second doctor to confirm the presence of the detected abnormality. He made a preliminary diagnosis - intestinal duplication or a solid tumour. Our world collapsed for the first time. Without hesitating, we took the test results to the Children's Health Center in Warsaw. Everything then happened at a dizzying pace.

Numerous tests, a bone marrow biopsy, trephine, and biopsy were each performed under full anaesthesia due to Aleksander’s age. We quickly learned something terrible. Our little son has a huge tumour in his abdomen measuring 7x5x4.5 cm!!! It surrounds the celiac trunk, splenic vessels, and renal vessels.

We were terrified, unable to believe this was happening. He didn’t feel any pain, and we had monthly check-ups with a gastroenterologist due to severe food allergies. The doctor carefully examined Aleksander’s abdomen at each visit – he didn’t feel anything.

A tumour biopsy was decided. It seemed like a simple tissue sampling. Unfortunately, it turned into a complicated operation that lasted almost 4 hours! Those were the longest moments of our lives – for parents who love their son so much.

After nearly a week filled with our child’s suffering, who, even before starting any therapy, was subjected to numerous and invasive diagnostic procedures (Aleksander was almost daily put under anaesthesia), we heard the diagnosis: Stage IV Neuroblastoma with metastases to the pelvic, femoral, and tibial bones! The cancer is very aggressive, and the disease course is unpredictable with a high likelihood of recurrence with doubled intensity.

Until the day of the diagnosis, the cruel disease affecting Aleksander was known to us only from fundraisers and stories of unknown people whom we supported. It never crossed our minds that one day we would hear such a terrifying diagnosis, that we would watch our child suffer, and that we would have to ask you for financial help to save our little son.

Aleksander faces a very long and exhausting therapy, which unfortunately does not guarantee a complete cure. To forget this hell once and for all, the only chance is a relapse prevention vaccine therapy, which is performed only in the USA, at a clinic in New York. The cost of the treatment is enormous, around 2 million PLN! Even if we sold everything we have, we wouldn’t raise such a huge amount. That’s why we beg you for help!

Our son bravely endures his hospital stay, even though we haven’t left the Children’s Health Center in Warsaw for a single day since admission. Very intensive and complex treatment has been implemented, consisting of several stages: powerful chemotherapy, which he receives every 10 days. Next, he faces a very complicated surgery to remove the tumour, bone marrow transplant, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy. We are currently after the second dose of 24-hour chemotherapy! Unfortunately, Aleksander’s liver has been severely strained. However, we hope that the results will improve before the next cycle.

This is not how his childhood should look, within hospital walls, with wires connected to his body, IV lines, pain, and suffering. Aleksander should now be at home, playing with peers, and laughing. We believe that this will still happen! Together, let’s help our son return to normalcy, to home, to a carefree childhood, to laughter and joy. Therefore, we ask for your help in saving Aleksander. We thank you in advance for every donation!

Parents