Mirza, my son, was born on May 4, 2001. He had a serious birth trauma: cerebral hemorrhage. After his birth, we received treatment at a hospital in our native city of Makhachkala for over a year. The doctors said that Mirza would have serious problems with his physical and mental development. But we did not lose heart, and our boy started to learn to walk and talk when he was eight months old, even earlier than many other kids of the same age.

We were rejoicing, but a new grief befell us in December 2003.

The results of blood tests suddenly deteriorated, and we heard the terrible diagnosis: acute myeloid leukemia M4. The doctors in Makhachkala said that Mirza was doomed to die in one month and his only chance was treatment at the RCCH in Moscow. And so we have been here since December.

Two cycles of chemotherapy have already been completed. Mirza is having a hard time because of them: constant fever for the entire last month. Two inflamed lymph nodes on his neck had to be removed. He has lost any appetite and become so thin, just skin and bones.

My little boy does not smile any longer. He is not yet even three years old, and yet he has already had more injections than days of his life. But the worst trouble is that fungi have appeared in his liver and spleen. To get rid of them, we need Ambisome, a very expensive medicine. One vial of Ambisome costs 270 USD, and the treatment course requires at least twenty. The chemotherapy cannot go on without Ambisome, because Mirza just won't survive.

Our family has never had such money. There is nobody in our native city whom we can ask for help now; we had to borrow money before coming to Moscow. My husband came to Moscow with us but cannot find a job here. Our elder daughter is staying in Makhachkala with her grandparents.

Please help us buy Ambisome and proceed with our treatment. Maybe our child will smile again.

With respect and hope,
Elmira Magomedova,
Makhachkala, Republic of Dagestan