Kseniya's Fight to Beat Cancer
Donation protected
I'm hosting this page for my dear friends Gaineil Anita & Oleg Rico and their beautiful children Kseniya & Ivan. Their family has gone through a tremendous ordeal. No words can put their story into perspective but I've asked Gaineil to share so that we as a community can help out. Here are her words:
When you have a child, you realize how innocent and pure children are. My first born daughter, Kseniya has been through more than any person, let alone a child should go through in their lifetime. At the young age of 3, I found a bump on the small of her back. After countless attempts with several doctors we learned that she had a malignant tumour and she was diagnosed with Stage 1 Rhabdomyosarcoma. We were absolutely devastated. There are no words to describe how difficult that year was. Between my husband going away for military service, myself struggling in school, and my active 1 year old son, Ivan, it seemed impossible. However, with God's grace and perseverance we managed to make it through treatment in the spring/summer of 2018, and began the process of slowly piecing our lives back together. The lives that Cancer had so brutally shattered.
Not even a year after treatment had ended, upon a routine imaging appointment, we received shocking news. Kseniya has suffered a recurrence/relapse. A tumour was found around the same site as the first time and had now spread to the lymph nodes in her abdomen. She is 5 years old now and diagnosed as Stage 3 Rhabdomyosarcoma. We of course were shocked... "How could this be happening again? She had a good prognosis?" However, the question of why will most likely never be answered. Our main priority is undertaking the best course of treatment possible to get this cancer out of our daughter once and for all. That means, much more aggressive chemotherapy than the first time. It may also mean she undergoes surgery again, but we will have to wait for a couple rounds of chemotherapy for her surgeon and the rest of the medical team to make that decision. Lastly, she will require radiation this time around. The best facility for her specific diagnosis is at Cincinnati Children's Hospital in Ohio. It will make the least amount of permanent damage to her body, allowing her to develop with minimal physical abnormalities. Currently we are awaiting to see whether the Ministry of Health will fund our treatment, but we are opening our goal to anyone who will listen and is able to help. My husband just started a new job and has to remain here, while Kseniya, Ivan and I move to Cincinnati for 2 months of her treatment.
It has been difficult for my husband and I to put our personal struggle online. We suffered so much emotionally, but also financially from Kseniya's first time in treatment. We can now forsee the financial impact this next phase in treatment will have on our lives; with uncovered medical expenses, travel, living expenses, in-patient and unexpected hospital stays, parking, food and loss of income etc. This time we want to be bold for Kseniya, who deserves a normal childhood. She has been so brave during all of this, and she shouldn't have to be at such a young age. We call her Princess Superhero, and can't wait until she sees better days. Thank you for taking the time to listen to our story.
Please help me support my friends on their road to beat Kseniya's cancer. Let's share with friends, family, and anyone who would like to pitch in, big or small, everything helps. Thanks so much.
When you have a child, you realize how innocent and pure children are. My first born daughter, Kseniya has been through more than any person, let alone a child should go through in their lifetime. At the young age of 3, I found a bump on the small of her back. After countless attempts with several doctors we learned that she had a malignant tumour and she was diagnosed with Stage 1 Rhabdomyosarcoma. We were absolutely devastated. There are no words to describe how difficult that year was. Between my husband going away for military service, myself struggling in school, and my active 1 year old son, Ivan, it seemed impossible. However, with God's grace and perseverance we managed to make it through treatment in the spring/summer of 2018, and began the process of slowly piecing our lives back together. The lives that Cancer had so brutally shattered.
Not even a year after treatment had ended, upon a routine imaging appointment, we received shocking news. Kseniya has suffered a recurrence/relapse. A tumour was found around the same site as the first time and had now spread to the lymph nodes in her abdomen. She is 5 years old now and diagnosed as Stage 3 Rhabdomyosarcoma. We of course were shocked... "How could this be happening again? She had a good prognosis?" However, the question of why will most likely never be answered. Our main priority is undertaking the best course of treatment possible to get this cancer out of our daughter once and for all. That means, much more aggressive chemotherapy than the first time. It may also mean she undergoes surgery again, but we will have to wait for a couple rounds of chemotherapy for her surgeon and the rest of the medical team to make that decision. Lastly, she will require radiation this time around. The best facility for her specific diagnosis is at Cincinnati Children's Hospital in Ohio. It will make the least amount of permanent damage to her body, allowing her to develop with minimal physical abnormalities. Currently we are awaiting to see whether the Ministry of Health will fund our treatment, but we are opening our goal to anyone who will listen and is able to help. My husband just started a new job and has to remain here, while Kseniya, Ivan and I move to Cincinnati for 2 months of her treatment.
It has been difficult for my husband and I to put our personal struggle online. We suffered so much emotionally, but also financially from Kseniya's first time in treatment. We can now forsee the financial impact this next phase in treatment will have on our lives; with uncovered medical expenses, travel, living expenses, in-patient and unexpected hospital stays, parking, food and loss of income etc. This time we want to be bold for Kseniya, who deserves a normal childhood. She has been so brave during all of this, and she shouldn't have to be at such a young age. We call her Princess Superhero, and can't wait until she sees better days. Thank you for taking the time to listen to our story.
Please help me support my friends on their road to beat Kseniya's cancer. Let's share with friends, family, and anyone who would like to pitch in, big or small, everything helps. Thanks so much.
Organizer and beneficiary
Brianna Fitzpatrick
Organizer
Toronto, ON
Gaineil Anita Liburd
Beneficiary