LITTLE FILIPEK AND THE FIGHT AGAINST CANCER
PROSTATE CANCER – this devastating diagnosis has been given to my son.
This terrifying disease has struck my only child!
“Hi, my name is Filip, and I love my mom, grandma, and tomatoes the most.
I used to have a really bad tummy ache, and ever since then, I’ve been living in a big house with lots of rooms filled with children and their moms. Aunts keep coming by and bringing things that don’t taste anything like tomatoes; my mom says it’s stuff that helps me stay healthy, but I still don’t like it – everything now tastes like Dad’s keys. Sometimes, the aunts bring these big bags, like the ones with fruit mousse, and hang them on sticks with tubes. I have the same tubes in my little heart.
What I really want is to go home and for my mom to stop being sad.”
That’s what 17-month-old Filip would say if he could talk, or at least that’s what I imagine – Filip’s dad.
Filipek celebrated his first birthday in June, and there were no signs that he was sick. Nothing indicated that this little guy would be faced with such a cruel disease. He has been diagnosed with prostate cancer (Rhabdomyosarcoma, Spindle Cell/Sclerosing Variant). This variant of embryonal RMS is extremely rare, making up only 3% of cases – a statistic that has become our reality. Currently, Filipek is the only boy with this diagnosis being treated at the Children’s Memorial Health Institute in Warsaw.
The onset of the disease…
A weekend at grandma’s, filled with fun and games with his favorite uncle, was suddenly interrupted by a severe stomachache. Filipek was crying and writhing in pain. Since it was Saturday, we rushed to the emergency room at the nearest children’s hospital, which was 50 kilometers away. I would have never imagined, even in my darkest nightmares, what I was about to hear… After two emergency abdominal ultrasounds, the doctor informed me that Filipek had a tumor the size of his bladder in his abdomen… Time seemed to stand still, and our entire world came crashing down… Just that morning, there were no signs that Filipek’s carefree childhood was about to end.
The following days turned into a whirlwind of tests and procedures (CT, MRI, X-rays, biopsies), all done under general anesthesia because of Filipek’s age. My son reacted very poorly to the anesthesia and the tests. He needed large doses of pain medication, and at that point, we found out that the sample they had taken with so much difficulty was healthy tissue, which meant the biopsy would need to be repeated… We decided to transfer Filipek to the Children’s Memorial Health Institute in Warsaw. Because of his poor condition, the transport had to be delayed; he required his first-ever blood transfusion… I was terrified, not knowing what was happening, and feeling helpless to help my beloved son…
On the day we arrived at the Children’s Memorial Health Institute, another round of essential tests began
They conducted another biopsy of the tumor, this time combined with a bone marrow biopsy and trepanobiopsy—it was another hours-long surgery under full anesthesia. Because of the tumor’s location and the first unsuccessful attempt to collect tissue, a pathologist had to be present in the operating room to analyze the sample during the surgery. To avoid additional anesthesia and further strain on my son, they placed a central venous line and a urinary catheter during the procedure.
At that time, we still had no idea what we were up against. Time was critical, and without even an initial test result, we couldn’t start treatment… The feelings of helplessness and powerlessness have been with me since that unforgettable Saturday… Our lives have turned into a cycle of hospitals, procedures, chemotherapy, blood tests, transfusions, antibiotics, and countless liters of fluids pumped into my son, along with a flood of tears…
The biopsy of the tumor confirmed the diagnosis: prostate cancer (Rhabdomyosarcoma, Spindle Cell/Sclerosing Variant). My little boy has now completed seven rounds of chemotherapy. It’s been a tough time — nine long weeks filled with sleepless nights and hours of my son crying… Filipek struggles with the side effects of chemotherapy; he has an irritated digestive tract and has stopped eating… He is no longer the carefree boy who trusted people and the world around him. Now he cries uncontrollably at the sight of any unfamiliar face.
This diagnosis is so rare among children Filipek’s age that there isn’t a center in Poland capable of helping him. Our only hope to get through this nightmare is surgery and brachytherapy (targeted radiotherapy), which can be done at a clinic abroad. However, seeking treatment overseas comes with enormous costs.
Never in my worst nightmares did I think I would find myself on this side of things, facing such a cruel diagnosis. Now, instead of helping to raise money for someone else’s child, I’m here, watching my son suffer, and begging for your help and financial support to save my Filipek.
This is not how his childhood should be spent— trapped in hospitals, with wires attached to his tiny body, IVs, pain, and suffering. Filipek is only 17 months old; he still has his whole life ahead of him…
Filipek’s Mom
You can help Filip by making payments on the account:
Fundacja Pomocy Dzieciom i Osobom Chorym Kawalek Nieba
PL31109028350000000121731374
swift code: WBKPPLPP
Santander Bank
Title: 4182 Help for Filip Karas
or by Electronic Transfer:
