I was born and still live in the most beautiful place in Leningrad region that has
pine forests and blue lakes. I live with my parents and my 6-year old daughter.
The disease struck me when I was 26 (I was diagnosed with lymphogranulomatosis) and
my daughter was 1.5. By that time, I graduated from the university, got a job and had
many dreams and plans for the future. After I got sick, I felt like everything fell apart
in a second, but I collected myself and decided to fight and win over this terrible disease
for my daughter's sake and for her future. For five years now, I am doing everything I can.
I went through many courses of chemotherapy, radiation therapy and had a bone marrow autotransplant
with high-dosage chemotherapy.
During the years of treatment, my family had to spend enormous amounts of money. My relatives
are still doing everything they can, but the amount of money needed to continue my treatment
is simply beyond their reach.
The doctors believe that I could be helped by a more intensive chemotherapy with bone marrow
transplant from an unrelated donor. This would be the first operation of this kind for a
patient from Leningrad region. The donor was located abroad and we need 10,000 Euro to have
the operation performed. This amount was actually discounted, because the specialists of
Czech donor registry will absorb half of the expenses.
I am asking for compassion from those who can help me. I hope that someone will hear my plea
for help and respond to it.
Zhanna Chebanova
Updated as of July 19, 2004.
Zhanna's condition had suddenly worsened. The transplant operation
now needs to be done sooner.
Updated as of August 1, 2004.
An anonymous donor had transferred $8,000 to Czech bone marrow donor registry to activate
a donor for Zhanna.
Updated as of August 19, 2004.
From July 7th to August 13th Zhanna stayed at the Oncological Hematology department of
Regional Clinical hospital. She had extensive tumor growth, which was progressing at
5-9 vertebrae level. Zhanna was given polychemotherapy, but it had to be interrupted
due to deep cytopenia (a deficiency in blood cells). The treatment resulted in cessation
of pain syndrome and normalization of body temperature.
Next week, Zhanna will have an examination at the State Medical University in St.
Petersburg, where the date of bone marrow transplant will be determined.
The next hospitalization at the Regional Clinical hospital is scheduled for August 26th.
Updated as of September 6, 2004.
Zhanna is already receiving therapy at the BMT clinic, and her operation is scheduled for
October 7th. On September 30th she will start pre-transplant chemotherapy and from
that moment on, the process becomes irreversible (the transplant of donated cells will
have to be performed).
We have to collect remaining funds (1,400 Euro to activate the donor in the Czech
registry and 1,400 Euro for courier to deliver transplant from abroad) by September 15th.
Updated as of September 15, 2004.
An anonymous donor transferred $1,400 to the Czech registry of bone marrow donors to
activate a donor for Zhanna Chebanova. He also sent $1,700 to Advita Foundation to pay
for transplant delivery by courier. The funds for Zhanna's
treatment are collected in full!
Updated as of October 7, 2004.
On October 6th, Zhanna had a bone marrow transplant.
Updated as of February 9, 2005.
Zhanna was found to have fungal infection in her lungs. In order to be cured, she needs
to take Caspofungine (Cansidas), which costs $7,000 for a course of treatment.
* - Please specify your name and how we can keep in touch with you.
We also need the letter from you with the following data:
your full name (name of organization), address, phone (fax), goal of donation,
date, signature (seal).
Please use on of the following applications:
in russian,
in english,
in german.
** - If money amount are transfered by the third party we kindly
ask you to show in the letter which firm would transfer the sum of
money (by our request money transfer would be performed by firm....
If you would like to transfer money through Western Union, please contact
site administrator.
