Hello, good people!

On 19.06.2023 was born the cutest and without a problem worn baby Sofia. To our great regret, the happiness of having a new member in our family was taken away the very next day.

Instead of being able to hold our baby, my husband and I were called to the neonatology to be told that the child was gravely ill. Imagine how it felt to see your baby for the first time in a cuboid with tubes and systems sticking out and not know what was happening.

After three days of unsuccessful examination and pouring antibiotics, Sofia was taken by ambulance to Ivan Mitev hospital, and I was left alone in the maternity ward with no idea what to expect. Four hours after the admission and the MRI, little Sofia was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma of the right adrenal gland with dissections in the liver. Her stomach had started to grow, to the point that it looked scary, we were transferred to Pirogov for surgery, but the rate at which it was bulging was evident and they quickly gave up on undertaking such a life threatening intervention. At just 10 days old Sophie was transferred to the paediatric onco-haematology ward at the ICU where we were met with the most dire verdict that they were starting chemotherapy and the child would either survive it or die. On the second day of the three-day course, Sofia's kidneys refused and we were rushed back to the ICU at Ivan Mitev Hospital to fight for her life. With the assistance of the oncologists at the ICU, she finished her course of chemotherapy there while her condition was critical. A week later a miracle happened and besides the recovery of her kidney function, her abdominal girth dropped by 10 cm.

I was sure our prayers were finally answered and on 18.07.2023 Sophie was discharged from the intensive care unit and her investigations were very encouraging - the liver was cleared of debris and the tumour shrunk to 50%, which made surgical removal possible, but this was not undertaken as our attending physician advised us to wait, as in some cases in babies, neuroblastoma that responds to chemotherapy can disappear by itself. After a 3 month wait, we had new tests and our short-lived joy was quickly dimmed as the results were extremely bad - the tumour enlarged and scattered all over the liver. After a biopsy and 5 new courses of high risk chemotherapy, surgery was performed on 04/07/24 and the tumour removed. A course of immunotherapy followed, after which I noticed Sophie's left temple and eye were starting to swell rapidly and unnaturally, it was a frightening sight.

We went in urgently to the Alexander Hospital for a PET scan. This was the moment our whole world came crashing down and we totally lost hope that things could get better because the scan showed a 5cm Recurrence affecting the eye, nose and oral mucosa. Sophie now has a swollen head and an eye almost out of orbit. The condition is very severe and despite the best efforts of the doctors who have been fighting for her life for over a year, and to whom we are eternally grateful, I, as her mother, am obliged to try everything. We have consulted with one of the best clinics in London who specialise closely in treating children with Neuroblastoma and we have hope that they may be able to help our child.

Of course this cannot be done without your help because the amount is prohibitive for us. I am appealing to everyone who could help us, as a mother of a sick child, with an appeal and a request for help.
Thank you!