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Kostya is 14.
Last November he got into hospital with severe headaches. The diagnosis was terrible: medulloblastoma of the 4th ventricle of the posterior cranial fossa (cerebellum).
A very complicated neurosurgical procedure was performed but the doctors failed to remove the whole of the tumor due to its location.
Then there was radiation therapy followed by a year-long chemotherapy course at the children's unit of City Hospital 31.
Kostya knows his diagnosis and the consequences it might have (he did an internet research himself) but tries to keep his head up.
Before the disease my son did well at school and has won a number of contests in the Russian language and literature. He has certificates from the Moscow Bauman University and took part in cartoon-making contests... Kostya also does computer studies. At present he is very good at HTML programming and FLASH animation. After the surgery he started learning CSS. In the future he plans to earn money by creating websites, he even created a test site. Now he does not have enough energy to do that – Kostya is weak due to chemotherapy.
Even though the boy is spending so much time in hospital he finished the 7th grade at school last year having taken all exams without attending classes and went to the 8th grade.
Kostya loves nature – he is fond of landscape photographing, and we have a cat and a dog at home.
Our family is just the two of us. We've been trying to cope and get the treatment without anyone's help for a long time.
But now that he is so weak I have to spend more time with him. That means I have to take unpaid leaves. Kostya's father lost his job back in March and has been unemployed since then. Due to some bureaucracy issues we have not been getting any child support money from him (he is getting that money from the employment service as an unemployment benefit).
At the same time our life and Kostya's treatment is becoming more and more expensive. The boy is constantly losing weight and since the situation is critical now he needs additional nutrition (Nutridrink and the like). Moreover, Kostya now has a herpesvirus problem due to a weakened immunity system. He needs high doses of Zovirax (given the boy's body height he needs approximately one pack a day). One pack costs 1,000-1,300 roubles.
This is why we kindly ask you to help us with whatever you can so that we have some money to live on. At present all we have is Kostya's disability pension (a total of some 4,000 roubles per month) which is too low. I am not speaking about buying new clothes or gifts – this money is not even enough to just eat regularly.
Thank you all in advance.

Yuliya, Kostya's mother
Contact phone:
+7 (951) 676-15-22

Medical conclusion

Update as of December 10, 2009. Kostya completed another round of chemotherapy and the next one will be the last. It will start on December 25. We are hoping that Kostya will be able to celebrate the New Year's Eve at home!
With every round, it becomes more and more difficult to tolerate chemotherapy. If in September and October Kostya was able to go to school in-between the blocks, now it is impossible.
Kostya is taking tests for the school program because the second quarter is coming to an end.
We are asking for financial help, as we need to buy certain medications that are not available at the hospital.
Thank you in advance for your help!
Kostya's mom

Update as of January 10, 2010. Kostya feels rather well. He is tolerating the final cycle of chemotherapy well. Prior to this course, he underwent MRI scan that showed he is doing well.

Update as of February 3, 2010. Kostya completed treatment under his protocol. He is now at home and comes to the hospital for tests. He feels well and is in a great mood.
The next round of tests is scheduled for March.

Update as of February 21, 2010. Kostya is at home and feels well. His test results are good too. Unfortunately, he has low appetite, so he has a difficulty with gaining weight.
Kostya began studying, for now as a home-schooled student. In March he is planned to go for CT scan of his spine and head that will cost 7,000 - 10,000 rubles.
Please help Kostya's family with paying for the tests.

Update as of March 7, 2010. Everything is well with Kostya - his health and his mood. He is at home. CT scan of two zones is scheduled for the end of March. We are sincerely grateful to St. Petersburg's Parents web forum for donating money to pay for CT scans.

Update as of April 30, 2010. Kostya feels well. He was referred for MRI imaging and it will take place on May 12 at City hospital No.31. For the May holidays Kostya will stay at a dacha.

Update as of October 7, 2010. Kostya feels well and goes to school. In July he had control tests at hospital No.31. The next checkup is scheduled for October. We are grateful to everyone who helped and supported us!
Kostya's mom

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