Tsvetomir is 4 years old. He was suddenly taken ill last year. He was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia M5.
He was treated by Professor Bobev in the Specialized Hospital for Active Treatment of Children with Oncohematological Diseases in Sofia. 5 intensive chemotherapy treatments were given from April to October 2007 and Tsetsi went into remission as early as after the first treatment. He then received supportive treatment with Lanvis and Alexan.
Just a month later, on 28th November, the doctors registered a
relapse. A new intensive chemotherapy treatment started in December. His condition deteriorated from day to day. Frequent blood transfusions were required, he lost appetite and his stomach hurt.
His only chance was a bone marrow transplant. Professor Bobev was of the opinion that it could be done in Bulgaria as well, if two conditions were met: complete remission and a 100% compatible unrelated donor, because Tsetsko’s parents do not have sufficient tissue compatibility with him.
Unfortunately the child did not manage to meet these ideal conditions. In January his condition not only failed to improve, but also started to deteriorate. He started to show side effects from the heavy chemotherapy treatment. The attending physician warned that the transplant had to be done in a hurry, because there was no time to wait. He recommended Germany. Professor Bader, Svetlyo's attending physician in the transplant center in Frankfurt, responded to the parents’ inquiry. His opinion was that a transplant was possible and would cost about 200 000 Euros.
On 23rd January this year the follow-up
myelogram showed shocking results – the blasts in the bone marrow aspirate were 70-80%! The doctors suggested a new, even stronger chemotherapy treatment, but warned the parents to prepare for the worst too...
Tsetsi’s father contacted Professor Bader for advice once again. The professor regretted to say that given the new development he could not admit the child for a transplant until he went into remission.
People close to the family inquired in the Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, USA. The American specialists gave hope that not everything was lost and agreed to admit Tsetsi urgently, but the treatment was impossibly expensive - it would cost more that 1 000 000 US dollars.
At the same time the parents contacted a hospital in Europe which was also prepared to treat Tsvetomir – Zurich Kinderspital in Switzerland. The condition for admission was that the child should leave for Zurich straight away, he should receive chemotherapy there in order to see how he responds to it and then receive a transplant.
The chemotherapy treatment is going to cost
40 000 Euros. The transplant is going to cost 400 000 Swiss francs or
246 492 Euros.
On 8th February Tsetsi and his mother were flown urgently to Zurich on a medical plane. The transportation costs were covered by the employer of the boy’s father.
At the moment the doctors in Switzerland are doing their utmost to save the little boy's life. He has started a chemotherapy treatment and is also to receive a central line. An appropriate bone marrow transplant donor is being intensively searched for.
It is a large amount of money and the time period is short – the money must be provided within 2 months at the latest.
But this has never been an obstacle to people to whom a child's life is invaluable!
The little boy knows nothing about the money, the papers, the obstacles… He can't grasp the concept, he doesn't understand them... He only believes with his little heart that he can beat the evil witch called Disease. We believe that too!
Hold on, Tsetsi!
Bank accounts:
PROCREDIT BANK
Tsvetomir Petrov Stefanov
BGN: BG58 PRCB 9230 1021 2584 18
EUR: BG08 PRCB 9230 1421 2584 12
USD: BG97 PRCB 9230 1121 2584 11
BIC: PRCBBGSF