With a heavy heart, I look at my son Oliś’s bald head, now adorned with a significant scar—a testament to his struggle against a life-threatening illness. For months, this scar has served as a reminder of the battle he is fighting, one that no child should ever have to endure. We have faced countless rounds of chemotherapy, radiation, and endless tears, yet the cancer persists, demanding more from our brave little warrior.
Before this ordeal, Oliwierek was the epitome of health—a joyful, lively boy brimming with energy. However, everything changed in late February when we noticed he began losing his balance, stumbling, and colliding with walls. We consulted a physiotherapist, who suspected a neurological issue, but the pediatrician dismissed it, and initial tests showed no significant concerns. Despite this, we felt something was amiss, prompting us to take Oliwierek to the hospital. What we discovered next shattered our world—a CT scan revealed a tumor the size of a tangerine in his cerebellum.
The diagnosis was horrifying, but the urgency of the situation was even more alarming. Oliwierek was rushed into surgery without time for a biopsy. The pressure in his brain was dangerously high, and he was mere days from death. A six-hour surgery saved his life, but the complications that followed were devastating. Oliwierek fell into a coma, and when he awoke, he was unable to speak, move his left side, or even open his eyes. We were informed it was posterior fossa syndrome, but that was just the beginning.
A biopsy revealed that the tumor was stage IV medulloblastoma, an aggressive type of childhood cancer. The prognosis was grim, and our already fragile world was further shaken when we discovered we were expecting another child—just as we learned about our son’s cancer. The uncertainty and fear were overwhelming. Would I be able to carry this pregnancy to term? Would Oliś ever meet his little sister? Amid our despair, we refused to surrender. We had to keep fighting, holding onto hope that we could conquer this disease and eventually return home with both our children.
As chemotherapy commenced, we began to notice small signs of improvement. Oliwierek spoke his first words again, smiled, and even attempted to eat independently. His left hand started to move again, and we allowed ourselves to believe that perhaps the worst was behind us. But then, on our little one’s second birthday, the news came that shattered what little hope we had left. The tumor wasn’t medulloblastoma as we had believed, but a rare and even more aggressive cancer: AT/RT (Atypical Teratoid Rhabdoid Tumor), one of the most perilous central nervous system tumors in children.
The new diagnosis necessitated an even more aggressive treatment plan. The doctors warned us that it wasn’t the cancer that would take Oliś’s life, but the debilitating side effects of the treatments themselves. The chemotherapy became increasingly challenging for our son, and his white blood cells, platelets, and hemoglobin levels plummeted. He required numerous blood transfusions, and each day we watched him suffer, feeling utterly powerless. Cerebrospinal fluid began to accumulate in his brain once again, necessitating another surgery to insert a shunt to regulate the fluid.
The reality of our situation deepened with each passing day. Days turned into weeks, then months. We yearned to bring Oliwierek home, even for just a few days, to let him experience the joy of being in his own bed, but obstacles always arose. He still couldn’t walk and required intensive rehabilitation, and his condition remained precarious.
To date, Oliwierek has undergone eight cycles of chemotherapy, six weeks of radiotherapy, and more chemotherapy lies ahead. We live in constant fear that the treatment may cease to be effective or that the cancer could return. Our lives have been spent in the hospital for the past eight months, and every day we encounter families whose treatment options have been exhausted. We dread facing the same fate.
This is why we are reaching out to you today. We are launching a fundraiser to cover the costs of Oliwierek’s ongoing treatments, rehabilitation, and medical consultations. The financial burden is overwhelming, and we simply cannot manage it alone. We promised ourselves and Oliś that we would do everything in our power to help him win this fight, and with your support, we can do just that.
Every day we fight alongside our son. Every small step forward is a victory, and we refuse to give up. We want to see our son survive this, live a life free from cancer, and grow up to experience all the joys childhood has to offer. We cannot do this alone. Please, if you are able, help us give Oliwierek the future he deserves—a chance to live, to laugh, to grow.
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for your kindness, your generosity, and your unwavering support. Together, we can make a difference and give our son the chance to win this battle.
