Amir’s battle with Acromegaly
Donation protected
Amir Bucolli from Kosovo is a 31 years old father of a 2-year-old daughter and soon to be a father again. In January 2015, he was diagnosed with a life-threatening rare disease called Acromegaly caused by a tumor located in the pituitary gland.
Amir Bucolli had to immediately go through transnasal endoscopic surgery for removal of the pituitary tumor. A first surgery was effectively performed in Tirana, Albania where most of the tumor was removed. The hormone level had gone back to normal but Amir was in urgent need to access post-surgical medical treatments that were not available in Kosovo.
One year post-surgery, new labs showed that his hormone level was abnormally high again. The scans recommended by the doctors led to the conclusion that the tumor was back. The board of neurosurgeons has recommended one last surgery. The current consensus is that through successful surgery, the illness is curable if performed by an experienced surgeon in an adequately equipped center. Doctors with high expertise in acromegaly treatments and capable of performing the second surgery on Amir are mostly based in the US.
Given that since the 1999 war, Kosovo has been building its basic health care infrastructure and we know that Amir will not be able to access proper treatment there. So far, three different hospitals located in the United States that have the adequate resources to operate and treat pituitary tumors (UCSF, University of Michigan Medical Center and Cleveland Clinic) are ready to perform this last surgery. However, we currently cannot cover the costs associated with such treatment.
While the entire family is extremely anxious about what the future holds for him, we would highly appreciate if you could help us on this journey to give Amir one more chance to cure. Anyone who knows him knows that he has the kindest heart and is the friendliest, most outgoing person always willing to lend a hand. He is a hardworking, dedicated, and loving father, husband, brother and friend.

Amir Bucolli had to immediately go through transnasal endoscopic surgery for removal of the pituitary tumor. A first surgery was effectively performed in Tirana, Albania where most of the tumor was removed. The hormone level had gone back to normal but Amir was in urgent need to access post-surgical medical treatments that were not available in Kosovo.
One year post-surgery, new labs showed that his hormone level was abnormally high again. The scans recommended by the doctors led to the conclusion that the tumor was back. The board of neurosurgeons has recommended one last surgery. The current consensus is that through successful surgery, the illness is curable if performed by an experienced surgeon in an adequately equipped center. Doctors with high expertise in acromegaly treatments and capable of performing the second surgery on Amir are mostly based in the US.
Given that since the 1999 war, Kosovo has been building its basic health care infrastructure and we know that Amir will not be able to access proper treatment there. So far, three different hospitals located in the United States that have the adequate resources to operate and treat pituitary tumors (UCSF, University of Michigan Medical Center and Cleveland Clinic) are ready to perform this last surgery. However, we currently cannot cover the costs associated with such treatment.
While the entire family is extremely anxious about what the future holds for him, we would highly appreciate if you could help us on this journey to give Amir one more chance to cure. Anyone who knows him knows that he has the kindest heart and is the friendliest, most outgoing person always willing to lend a hand. He is a hardworking, dedicated, and loving father, husband, brother and friend.

Organiser
Avni Bucolli
Organiser
Chicago, IL