Hello, dear Donors! My name is Ioanna Mineva and I will tell you in detail the story of my son Martin, who faced the serious disease cancer and I will seek your help to save my son and give him a full life.

In February, Martin accidentally noticed a lump on the tip of his tongue. He didn't share this problem with us at the time because it didn't hurt and he didn't pay attention to it. After a while, in early March, he told us about it and showed it to us. The next day he went with his father to see our GP. After the examination, Dr. Simov's opinion was that it was aphthous stomatitis. A cream ointment and and spray were prescribed to treat it. After a week of smearing and spraying there was no result, the sore remained in the same form. The GP then referred us to an ENT specialist. We visited such a doctor who again prescribed him cream and spray to treat the spot. After about another ten days, persistent dabbing and spraying, there was no result from the treatment applied. In the meantime we took Martin to the family dentist who expressed great concern at what he saw. He explained to us that a week if an aphta or sore does not heal, it is a signal of something more serious. He referred us to a maxillofacial surgeon. On 23.03. we visited one at Government Hospital for the consultation and examination. I observed Dr Slavchev performing the examination and noticed his anxiety. That was the first time I felt that something was wrong. After the examination, the doctor said he didn't like what he saw at all. He explained that a biopsy needed to be done, but he couldn't at the moment because he didn't have some sort of certificate. Doctor Slavchev had moved from Tokuda Hospital to Government Hospital and was waiting for his certificate for that reason. We agreed to call him on 28.03, but even then he had not received the required document. He asked me to call on 31.03, but I was already very worried, so I found another specialist the same day - 28.03. Professor Stanimirov from Alexandrovska Hospital examined Martin the very next day, and his opinion was that a biopsy should be done urgently, as it was a very rare cancer for this age. Even in his many years of practice he had only had one case of this age, again a 17 year old girl.

At that point the world came crashing down for us!

We were worried but not expecting this diagnosis and without a biopsy. She confirmed what Professor Stanimirov had said a few days later. Unofficially I received information about the result on 10.04. , I was told the diagnosis - squamous cell carcinoma and what the consequences were. I was worried about how to break this bad news to my husband, because he has blood pressure problems, so I decided to call friends in the evening and tell him. Our friends showed us a video of a show on BTV with Nedelya Shchonova. It featured, as a guest, a young girl with the same diagnosis, her name was Veselina Popova. From this video we found out that a tongue reconstruction was being done in Turkey. On 11.04. after the result came out we were called to Professor Stanimirov to discuss what next.

He explained that an operation had to be done urgently, cutting out the growth. He also explained to us the consequences after the operation - Martin would not be able to speak, eat normally, swallowing and breathing would also be difficult. Can you imagine what life will be like for a boy of 17 once his vital and social functions are affected.

We discussed with him the possibilities of reconstruction, but he categorically said that in Bulgaria such surgeries are not done and will not be done soon because we do not have the equipment and specialists. They are only done in more developed countries. After this conversation I was determined that I would do everything to save my child. I immediately sought help from friends to see Dr. Nikolay Nedev from Agyabadem Mladost Hospital. Doctor Nedev participated in Nedelya Shchonova's show and from there we found out that the professor who operated on Vesela Popova in Turkey is called Hakan Agir. They arranged an appointment for us the very next day. Doctor Nedev examined Martin, photographed his tongue and wrote immediately to Professor Hakan Agir. I was very insistent in asking the professor to see us for an examination. After a few days the miracle happened, they called me to tell me that the professor would be expecting us on April 17 at 6 pm. On 17.04. we went for the examination, the professor confirmed the diagnosis and said he could do the reconstruction on 28.04. He explained to us in detail how things would happen. A piece of the inside of the cheek was taken and placed on the excised area. The operation was about 5-6 hours. He also explained to us that speech would be slightly affected at first, but after a few weeks it would be back to normal. This reassured us a lot, our child will lead a normal life. He also has to be fed with blended foods for a few days. For follow up treatment, he said after surgery we will talk. He said that they will also remove the lymph nodes on his neck because he thinks there are dissections there. Professor Hakan also said that this type of cancer is not typical for this age. It occurred in mature, aged people who abused alcohol and cigarettes. They gave Martin five scans on 19.04., but we don't have the results yet because Thursday and Friday are a religious holiday in Turkey and they don't work. Up to this point Martin has been acting manly, he hasn't complained about anything, but after talking to Professor Hakan I noticed that he was pensive and already slightly worried. In the evening he even jokingly said that he was ,,very lucky,, at this age only 0,0001% of the population have this kind of cancer. Marty told us that even before the result came out he knew it was cancer. He read on the internet and looked at pictures that looked like his wound and that's how he found out what his growth actually was. His father couldn't stand it and went out to cry. Now we are getting ready to travel. Martin is due to be admitted to hospital on 27.04 to prepare him for the operation. That's all. I hope and believe that my child will cope with the difficulties. I strongly believe in this!

Unfortunately, we don't have the amount of money needed for the surgery, and there will probably be additional treatment afterwards. I ask you from the bottom of my heart to support us with a donation. We are counting on you! Thank you!

The offer we have is only for the surgical treatment and is worth 54 000 BGN. We are going to issue a phased offer for the post-operative treatment as well.