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Hello!
My name is Elena Arkadievna Polukhina. I am the mother of Victoria Polukhina. Vika was born in the town of Murmansk on January 11, 1992, she is now 17. My daughter is an active girl, she does very well at school and has lots of friends.
On March 5 she had a surgery on her leg and was diagnosed with osteogenic sarcoma. At the Petrov Institute of Oncology in St. Petersburg the diagnosis was changed to leiomyosarcoma. We are getting treatment in St. Petersburg and need expensive drugs for the treatment and rehabilitation. Our financial situation is very bad. I am staying with my daughter in hospital and am not entitled to any compensation for the sick leave since my daughter is already 17. I also have a husband and a 13 year old son Sasha.
We will have to find accommodation in St. Petersburg for the time between chemotherapy courses because it is very difficult and expensive to go back home to Murmansk for 13 days (my daughter does not officially belong to any disability group as it is her first time in hospital). It's been close to two months that I am in hospital with my daughter, and we will need money to buy drugs and rent a flat, that is why I am kindly asking for help.
Please help us save our daughter! I will be very grateful to all who can help.
We are hoping for your support!

Elena Arkadievna, Vika's mother
Contact phone:
+7 (911) 303-14-21 (Elena Arkadievna)
+7 (902) 134-04-70 (Victoria)

Medical report
Medical report #2: page 1, page 2

Update as of July 2, 2009. Based on histological testing results, Vika's previous diagnosis of osteosarcoma was confirmed. Vika is now having a very difficult time with tolerating the third round of high-dosage chemotherapy.
In the future, she may need an operation. During the consultation with a surgeon at Pediatric Academy, the operation was considered possible if the treating oncologists decide that it is necessary.
Vika's mom

Update as of August 26, 2009. Victoria finished a round of chemotherapy, and her protocol calls for a surgery to remove affected part of the bone. Unfortunately, she still does not have a quota for the surgery, even though the request for the quota was submitted by Murmansk Regional Health Administration six weeks ago (the number on the waiting list is 47.0000.02510.097). According to the protocol, the operation has to take place at the end of August. The delay increases the risk of relapse. So far we have not been able to get a good answer from the High-tech Treatment Department. Vika was discharged from the hospital and she is waiting for a quota at her rented apartment.

Update as of September 25, 2009. On September 8th Vika had a surgery. A part of her bone was replaced by a metal structure. After the operation, Vika will need to complete two or three more courses of chemotherapy.

Update as of October 23, 2009. Vika and her mom are now in St. Petersburg, working on applying for a treatment quota. Next week they are hoping to get admitted to Oncology Research Institute. Vika still needs two more chemotherapy rounds, and second (and far from last) surgery is planned for spring of 2010.
Vika had a very difficult time during the previous chemotherapy course – she had very deep cytopenia, severe nosebleeds, ulcers of mouth and esophagus and vomiting, but she had recovered now.
Vika and her mom are staying with their acquaintances at Veteranov Prospekt, which is very far from the hospital and they have to travel across town to get there. Vika and her mom need to find a place close to the hospital. If someone could help them with this, we will be very grateful!

Update as of December 7, 2009. Vika completed the next before last round of chemotherapy. Tomorrow she will begin the last one. Once it is finished, she is planned to undergo CT scan and a consultation with orthopedic specialist who will perform surgery to remove titanium rod and its replacement by calf bone from Vika's other leg.
The surgery to install prosthesis is planned for May 2010. After the consultaiton Vika will be able to return home.
Vika's mom is expressing her heartfelt gratitude to all the donors who gave their blood to Vika!

Update as of December 22, 2009. Vika got only half way through the last chemotherapy course: her liver counts rose dramatically (toxic hepatitis) and her blood counts went down. The doctors decided not to finish the chemotherapy course. Vika is taking Geptral and her liver counts are gradually getting better.
Yesterday Vika had computed tomography – her lungs are clear, today she's having bone scintigraphy and tomorrow X-rays of her leg. If everything is fine Vika will go home until the end of the holiday season at least.

Update as of February 4, 2010. Vika underwent testing in Murmansk (ultrasound of pelvis and x-rays of one of her legs and lungs). Everything is well. In agreement with her treating doctors from Oncology Research Institute, Vika will go for regular testing locally.
Vika feels well. She is studying at home and quickly catching up with the school program. She is in her last high school year and needs to prepare for the final tests. The surgery will probably take place after the exams.

Update as of March 27, 2010. Vika completed examination in Murmansk. All is well. She is preparing for the exit tests.

Update as of June 30, 2010. On July 5th Vika will come to St. Petersburg for planned control tests. Vika graduated from high school with honors and had excellent exit exam scores!

Update as of September 4, 2010. Vika came to St. Petersburg for examination and surgery at Pediatric Academy. Since ankle endoprostheses are not done in Russia, the plan is to use calf bone from her healthy leg in the affected leg, and use Elizarov device to stretch it.
Vika is a student at St. Petersburg's Informations Technology, Mechanics and Optics University, but she had to take a medical leave for this year. She has to use crutches for now.

Update as of October 5, 2010. Vika's surgery, unfortunately, was postponed to November. Since Vika is already 18 years old, she was not admitted to Pediatric Academy or Pediatric Unit of Oncology Institute. The quota she had expired.
As a result, the surgeons of Pediatric Academy will have to bring equipment to the Adult Unit of Oncology Institute so that Vika will be operated there. After surgery, Vika will stay at the Adult Unit, so he rmother will not be able to be live with her there.

Update as of November 24, 2010. Vika arrived to St. Petersburg for the surgery, but got in an accident on the way: the girl fell and very seriously injured a knee of the problem leg. She was taken by the emergency right from the train to Alexandrovsky hospital where her knee was put in a cast. On November 15th Vika was transferred to the 3rd ward of Oncology research institute. The surgery was postponed. Now Vika is undergoing tests: she already had X-rays and radioisotope tests of the knee, the results of MRI are going to be ready tomorrow, and a biopsy result will be available in a week.

Update as of December 14, 2010. Based on examination results, remission was confirmed. The surgery on Vika's leg was moved to end of January so that her leg heals properly after injury. Vika feels well. We are enormously grateful to everyone for their help!
Vika's mom

Update as of February 15, 2011. Vika is at home now. The hospital has not called her in yet. Her leg hurts at times, but local doctors cannot treat her, because all her images are at Petrov Oncology Institute. Vika applied for academic leave.
Vika's mom

Update as of March 9, 2011. Vika is now in Murmansk. On Monday, she expects to get an invitation from clinic for application for treatment quota. Vika and her mom are hoping that at the second half of March they wil be able to come to St. Petersburg.

Update as of April 1, 2011. Vika is in St. Petersburg. Yesterday she had surgery that lasted more than 9 hours. Today she is already awake, but does not feel well. She has hard time getting off anesthesia and suffers from nausea and severe pain. She was prescribed pain control medications.

Update as of April 12, 2011. Vika feels better. Drainage from her leg was removed and she will not need Elizarov's apparatus. Vika cannot get up yet, and she needs adult diapers (size M).
Vika's mom had to buy orthotic device that cost 5,300 rubles. Vika got a visit from her college friend and she is helping to take care of Vika.

Update as of May 3, 2011. Vika was discharged from Oncology Research Institute on April 26th. She is now in rehabilitation center in Olgino where she is recovering. Vika uses wheelchair to move around, as it is difficult for her to keep balance. In the next few days she will have a consultation with Prof. Nabokov, vascular surgeon, who operated Vika.
After the consultation, she will be allowed to go home, to be monitored locally until November 2011.

Update as of May 20, 2011. At the consultation, Vika was offered to continue treatment locally and return to St. Petersburg in six months (when spindle removal will be discussed). She is now already at home and feels relatively well. However, a stitch on Vika's heel opened up by approximately 2 cm and got inflamed.

Update as of December 12, 2011. Vika and I came to St. Petersburg for control tests. It has been six months since surgery. Vika underwent ultrasound of abdomen and retroperitoneal space, as well as an x-ray of her shin at Oncology Research Institute. Vika is now in the state past removal of metal structure from her right femur and chest. After a consultation with Dr. Gaftan, it was decided to remove needles from her leg, and Prof. Nabokov did the surgery.
Vika also had examination of her bones and vessels at Pediatric Academy. She was recommended to see a specialist to help her recover her foot function and re-learn to walk.
At home in Murmansk we cannot get help, as surgery that Vika had was unique. Vika and I would like to ask for help with her undergoing rehabilitation in St. Petersburg.
Vika and her mom

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