RETINOBLASTOMA – CANCER IN BOTH EYES OF OUR BELOVED DAUGHTER
Our daughter was born on June 14, 2022 as a strong and healthy girl. Agatka is an extremely cheerful, sociable and lively child who, together with her brother Tomek, brings a lot of joy and light to our lives. The first nine months of Agatka’s life were the most beautiful time for our family.
One day we noticed that Agata’s left eye started to “run away”. Pediatrician reassured us that strabismus has the right to occur until the age of two and apart from that, he does not see anything wrong. However, this problem did not give us peace and the feeling was not a mistake…
We will remember the date of March 31, 2023 for the whole life. After examining the fundus of her eye, the ophthalmologist recommended that we should urgently go with Agatka to the University Clinical Hospital in Wrocław. Diagnosis: retinal detachment of the left eye, suspicion of congenital glaucoma, thus we are fighting for Agatka’s sight. We were terrified.
As it turned out, it wasn’t the worst information we received that day.
In the hospital, after an ultrasound of the eye, we heard a disabling diagnosis: retinoblastoma – malignant tumor of eyeball.
At that moment, time stopped. We returned home with a referral to the Ophthalmology Clinic at the IP Children’s Health Center in Warsaw – urgently!
On that day, we started a long fight for our daughter’s life and health.
In IP CZD, after an ophthalmological examination under general anesthesia, we heard the final diagnosis, which was totally devastating for us: retinoblastoma, binocular form (!), two tumors in each eye. In the left, the retina is completely detached, the yellow macula is damaged – sight in it is impossible to save. Agatka has the most advanced form of cancer, in the category from A to E, group E- in the left eye, group C- in the right eye.
The doctors told us that Agata’s left eye would have to be removed. It all depends on how the tumors respond to chemotherapy. Treatment was started immediately. Just two days later our daughter underwent the first cycle of general chemotherapy.
Agatka is currently after four cycles of chemotherapy and two intravitreal procedures. It is difficult to count how many times she was put to sleep for various examinations and procedures (head MRI, ophthalmological examinations under anesthesia, placement of a central access through which chemotherapy and other drugs are administered, injections into the eyeball). There are still intra-arterial chemotherapy, further intravitreal treatments, cryo and thermotherapy ahead of her.
Our daughter is under the care of oncologists and ophthalmologists at hospital in Warsaw, which is one of two centers treating children with retinoblastoma. The therapy is long-term and is associated with very frequent trips to Warsaw. We are at the beginning of our daughter’s treatment and, as doctors indicate, the most difficult stage is still ahead of us.
We are asking for financial help needed to cover the costs of Agatka’s therapy, i.e. fuel for commuting, stay in Warsaw, vision therapy, rehabilitation, dressings and supplements. We will be grateful all help and prayer.
We wish that Agatka was healthy, keep her eye, and in the future be independent and be able to function like her peers. We believe she will!
Thank you in advance!
Parents Milena and Grzegorz and brother Tomek
You can help Agatka by making payment on the account:
Fundacja Pomocy Dzieciom i Osobom Chorym Kawalek Nieba
PL31109028350000000121731374
swift code: WBKPPLPP
Santander Bank
Title: 3741 Help for Agatka Jurga
or by DOTPAY:
