When doctors advised her to brace for the worst and bid farewell to her little girl, Marharyta Dyrenko stood firm. She gazed at her daughter — fragile, fading, yet still alive — and declared no. She would not give in. Not while there remained even the slightest heartbeat of hope.
Her daughter, Małgosia, was facing death. For years, her tiny body had been in a relentless struggle against a rare genetic disorder — chronic idiopathic gastrointestinal obstruction, a condition so intricate that few medical professionals knew how to address it. Her intestines and bladder, governed by underdeveloped nerve endings, were unable to function correctly. Every meal posed a danger, and each day was a battle against pain, malnutrition, and fatigue.
In their homeland, the medical team did everything within their power. Three significant surgeries. Countless hospital visits. Sleepless nights filled with monitors, tubes, and prayers. Yet, despite their efforts, Gosia’s health continued to decline. There came a moment — that cold, unforgettable moment — when the doctors softly stated, “There’s nothing more we can do.”
However, a mother’s love knows no boundaries.
With the support of numerous compassionate individuals, donations, and prayers, Marharyta discovered a way to take her daughter abroad — to a hospital in Barcelona, Spain, where specialists offered something she hadn’t heard in a long time: hope.
It was there that the truth finally emerged. The diagnosis was validated, the appropriate treatment commenced, and a team of surgeons provided Gosia with the opportunity she had been denied for years. Four intricate laparoscopic surgeries ensued. Each one was fraught with risk, each another test of resilience — but they succeeded. Against all odds, her body began to heal.
“When I reflect on how she appeared before — so frail, so thin — and how she looks now, vibrant and full of life, I can’t help but thank God and everyone who helped us reach this point,” Marharyta shares, her voice quivering with emotion.
Today, Gosia is no longer the emaciated child who once teetered between life and death. Her cheeks are rosy, her eyes shine once more, and her laughter — a sound that fills every corner of their modest apartment in Barcelona.
Yet, the journey is not complete.
The next phase of treatment — the closure of her gastrostomy and ileostomy — is crucial. It represents the final step toward granting Gosia a normal life, liberated from the tubes and bags that have sustained her for so long. The doctors in Spain are preparing a cost estimate, and the family is anxiously awaiting approval. Once granted, Gosia will gradually be taken off pharmacological support and slowly reintroduced to a complete diet. If all goes well, both stomas will be closed in a single operation.
For many, these are merely medical terms. For Gosia, they symbolize dreams.
“She keeps asking me,” Marharyta says softly, “‘Mama, when will I be able to poop normally? When can I dance, or run, or be like other kids?’”
Every mother dreams of witnessing her child healthy, joyful, and free. For Marharyta, that dream has been sustained by faith — and by strangers who refused to let her fight alone.
“I can’t count how many times I had to say goodbye to my daughter,” she reflects. “But each time, I refused to let it be the last. I kept fighting. And that’s why she’s still here.”
Now, after years of surgeries, pain, and miracles, Marharyta faces one more hurdle — raising the funds necessary to keep her daughter in Spain long enough to complete her treatment. “It was here that they saved her life,” she states. “And it’s here that they can offer her a chance for a normal future.”
Gosia’s journey is one of remarkable resilience — a tale of a little girl who has faced every challenge with bravery, and a mother who has guided her through every storm. Together, they’ve demonstrated that love, when powerful enough, can overcome obstacles — even across borders, even through despair.
Their story isn’t finished yet. The final chapter is still unfolding — one filled with faith, love, and the hope of a future where a courageous little girl can finally run, dance, and live as every child deserves to.
Because for Marharyta Dyrenko, giving up was never an option.
And for Gosia, every breath is a testament that miracles do occur.
