Staszek fights the monster that devours his muscles! Urgent help needed!

Is there anything worse for a 14-year-old to hear than that his new home will soon be the oncology ward? Is there anything worse than the thought that you’re fatally sick?

Staszek has been fighting with cancer for the past 1.5 years. Since the moment my son fell sick, I find out everyday what despair really is. I weep at the sight of his pain, and I weep at my helplessness, for I know that his rescue costs a fortune! Today, my very last hope is your help. I ask you, join us, help us save Staszek’s life. 

1.5 years ago, the sickness sent us its first signal. A signal, which was misdiagnosed by the doctors. A change was found near the testicle - in December 2017, surgery was conducted for its removal. In the opinion of the doctor who conducted the examinations, the tumor wasn’t malignant. 

We went home, calm. If only I would’ve known the huge mistake that had been made…

More or less after a year the pain returned! This time, in another place. Staszek’s stomach hurt - to the extent that he couldn’t bare it. I took him at once to the hospital, where the CT scan showed two tumors in his abdomen - a metastasis to his lymph nodes! This was the worst possible scenario. The result of the biopsy was clear - the previous tumor had been malignant. 

The diagnosis was devastating: sarcoma. 3rd stage of rhabdomyosarcoma with metastases to the lymph nodes. 

Then, a revision of the examination from last year was performed. The tumor which had, in a different hospital, been found benign, was actually malignant, and had been already at that time! It had been a nightmarish mistake, and all that  time we had been ignorant of the tumor growing again. We had lost the chance to act fast. 

Knowing the correct diagnosis, doctors immediately decided on surgery. Two lymph nodes were removed. The third tumor, however, was unreachable - too close to the abdominal aorta. The surgery could be fatal! Doctors informed us about a clinic in Tel Aviv, Israel, which specializes in complicated tumors. I sent them the medical results and got qualified for treatment! What’s more, those doctors decided to undertake that third tumor! Unfortunately, together with the qualification came the cost - a huge amount. We sold everything we could, gathered all our savings so as to begin the treatment as soon as possible. 

Staszek has now undergone 4 cycles of chemo in Tel Aviv. On the 15th of July, went onto the tumor removal surgery. It gets tough sometimes, but I know that it’s only thanks to this that my son will live. There were, and there will be, days when we have to just grit our teeth and  get through it, together. 

In a couple of days Staszek will begin the next round of chemo. And still, 5 cycles await him. Next, the doctors have scheduled radiotherapy, which is supposed to kill the tumor once and for all. Unfortunately, the means for the remaining treatments have run out…

Staszek told me recently that, after all of his, he’s no longer afraid of more chemo and more pain. What he’s scared of most is that he won’t be able to pay for further treatments. What frightens me most is that, in such a situation, my child needs to think about money - this is why I’m here, begging you for help, because if we interrupt the treatments, cancer will win…