Let's help Vasili with his procedure

Dear Friends and Family of Vasili Zimplas,

With great hope in our Savior Jesus Christ, we make this petition to help Vasili defeat the obstacle he is faced with.

As you all know, Vasili was diagnosed with “Paranasal Mucosal Melanoma”, a rare form of cancer, by a biopsy on September 27th, 2021. Vasili, together with his wife Parthena, and their children, Maria (16 years old), Katerina (14 years old), and Sophia (11 years old), then began this struggle to find a cure for this disease so that they could continue to enjoy their blessed life together.

Countless visits with doctors, treatments and medications did not seem to work. The doctors told them from the outset that there wasn’t any treatment to cure this type of cancer. He did try some therapy (with only a 20% chance of working) to no avail. Vasili began to deteriorate, and in March of 2022, he was diagnosed with metastatic brain lesions. Later in June, Vasili and his family were told that his tumor was now a life-threatening matter. It seemed that Vasili was losing his strength to fight this disease and continue being a providing husband and father to his family.

Parthena, as all loving spouses do, began with zeal to try and find some treatment for this cancer, never giving up hope. She trusted Christ and Panagia to help them and guide them throughout this ordeal. She quit her job to care for Vasili and bring him to countless appointments with the doctors and many visits to the ER. As she continues caring for Vasili, she runs around with Maria, Katerina, and Sophia, as they try to live a “normal” life as student-athletes in Needham while their father is sick. Unfortunately, because Parthena has quit her job, this ordeal has also put a significant financial burden on the family.

The doctors have pretty much stated that there is no hope for Vasili. There is no treatment, and the only chance of survival is surgery, which all the doctors here refuse to do. But we all know that with Christ, there is always hope. A new prospect has presented itself. With patience and prayer, Parthena has found a doctor in Cyprus who is willing and confident in removing the tumor from Vasili’s head. Dr. Kiriakos Paraskeva, a neurosurgeon, known for his surgeries around the brain area, reviewed Vasili’s head scans and is confident he can perform the procedure.

Our Lord has given Vasili, Parthena, Maria, Katerina, and Sophia new hope. But we ask for your help. Since this procedure will take place in Cyprus, it is not covered by their health insurance. And because it is such a risky and delicate procedure, it is not inexpensive. The procedure cost is $160,000, and the hospital requires a $100,000 deposit.

We ask that you help us raise this money so that Vasili can go on with the procedure, and hope with prayer to Christ and Panagia, that it will be a success. Of course, this is up to our Lord’s will, but we are certain this is God-pleasing. This opportunity came with prayer, and it is not some unrealistic dream.

Vasili is a God-fearing man who has devoted his life to his family and his church. We pray that this procedure will help him continue to do so. We pray that he can return to chanting in the Orthodox services. We pray that our loving Savior will grant him many more days and years so he can spend them with his wife and children.

Let us thank the Lord for all the blessings he has bestowed upon us by helping a friend and neighbor. Let us do our part in Vasili’s struggle and contribute to this appeal.

We thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

In Christ,

Friends and Family of Vasili, Parthena, Maria, Katerina, and Sophia