Another Anton's photo

Hello!
Trouble came to our family all of a sudden. Our son Anton often had colds. In the spring he had his adenoids removed. It was a difficult decision for us which it took us a long time to take. But after the surgery the number of colds did in fact go down.
In the summer our entire family went on a long awaited vacation trip. In September it was back to everyday life, and we started getting ready for kindergarten. There was a number of standard medical tests we had to have done. Anton had his blood taken and... (who could ever believe that?!) there were cancer cells in his blood. Repeat test confirmed that it was true. The diagnosis came out of the blue: leukemia!
Anton has been very active and happy all through the summer – he had been so looking forward to seeing real mountains (it was Kyrgyztan we went to). He never even got one cold during the summer and we were so happy about it. No one could ever suspect that such a terrible thing could happen.
The next day after the blood test was done we already were at the hematology unit of the Regional Children's Hospital of Nizhnevartovsk (360 km from the town of Pyt-Yakh). We still refused to believe our son was sick and kept hoping it was all a mistake. Anton was cheerful and happy as always. But the bone marrow puncture results stated: acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
The treatment course began. A 36-days' induction. The doctors were trying to cheer us up by saying it was a common form of leukemia and Anton would soon be healthy again and go home. We put up with the fact. And then came another blow! The results of a cytogenetic analysis testified to a genetic defect – Philadelphia chromosome. Which means that Anton needs a bone marrow transplantation. The doctors did not expect such a turn either. After that Anton was administered a high dose chemotherapy protocol.
Anton is 4 years old, but he is very strong and patient. No matter how bad he feels, when asked "How're you?" he always says that he is fine! Anton is a remarkable child, he is bright and warm like the sun. He is very kind, sociable, tender, loving, cheerful and caring. He can never hurt anyone. Anton is very intelligent and extremely reasonable for his age. He loves logical games, drawing and making gifts for his mom and dad. Anton is very artistic and sincere. His dream now is to recover and come back home as soon as possible. When he grows up he wants to become a priest and have a big house and farm where he is going to work hard.
When we found out that Anton was to have a bone marrow transplantation and how much that would cost, our friends, acquaintances and relatives began to actively look for money. We created a website entitled "I will live" for Anton where I then kept a diary about Anton's condition. Our town is very small, and almost everyone was helping us. We made a partial payment to the Stefan Morsch fund, part of the money was used to pay for Anton's treatment, airplane tickets to St. Petersburg and accommodation in St. Petersburg before the BMT. The Podari Zhizn fund paid the lacking sum. We are so grateful to them for that!
A donor for Anton was found within three months. We believe that everything is going to be fine. Anton does not know yet that he is in for a surgery, that word really scares him. That is why we tell him that we came to St. Petersburg to recover for good. BMT is scheduled for May 20, 2010 and is going to take place at the Raisa Gorbacheva Institute of Children's Hematology and Transplantology.
We are a common family. Anton has an elder brother, his father is a senior puchasing engineer, and it is his salary alone that our family lives on now. Please help us pay for accommodation and acquire expensive drugs which all patients need after the transplantation (Vfend – 30,000 roubles, Intraglobin – 9,000 roubles per bottle, etc.). Thank you all for helping our son go back home healthy!

Respectfully,
Sergei and Irina Gasnikov
Telephone:
+7 (911) 738-96-51 (father)

Medical record: page 1, page 2, page 3

Update as of May 20, 2010. Anton is at the Children's Hematology and Transplantology Institute, he is past pre-transplantation chemotherapy and his blood counts have fallen. Transplantation is scheduled for May 21.

Update as of June 24, 2010. Anton underwent transplantation on schedule. He is for now at the clinic, under the doctors' watch. He feels well and is in a good mood.

Update as of August 18, 2010. Anton is feeling fine, blood counts are normal, he is now in day hospital. He began learning English with the help of volunteers and is doing well.

Update as of October 6, 2010. Anton fells well, there are no signs of GVHD and infection, now he is gradually is taken off cyclosporine and will have control tests soon. If nothing concerning would be discovered, Anton would be able to go home.

Update as of October 19, 2010. Based on results of control tests, remission was confirmed, but minimal residual disease was discovered (it means that a minimal number of tumor cells is still present in the body). Donor's lymphocyte infusion and immunotherapy are planned. Anton's return home will be postponed. He feels well.

Update as of November 23, 2010. Anton had a biopsy last week, we are waiting for the results to see how effective the transfusion of donor's lymphocytes and Gleevec was. Anton feels well. The future treatment depends on the biopsy results.
Anton's mother

Update as of February 3, 2011. Based on the results of last puncture, no minimal residual disease was seen. Although remission is confirmed, the doctors are not discharging Anton yet. He is being monitored at R. Gorbacheva Pediatric Hematology & Transplantology Institute where he receives Gleevec and Ciprinol. He feels well.

Update as of March 28, 2011. Anton was allowed to go home for two weeks. The boy has now returned to the clinic for an examination. He feels fine.

Update as of May 20, 2011. Anton is monitored as an outpatient. He feels great. To prevent a relapse (six months ago, minimal residual disease was found), Antosha takes Gleevec and two days ago he had donor's lymphocyte infusion.

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