There are instances when life breaks apart twice — when one misfortune concludes only for another to commence. For Artem Verkhovynin and his mother, this is their narrative.
They have already faced the unimaginable. Escaping their homeland, they left behind everything they knew — their home, their memories, their sense of security — fleeing the terrors of war in search of tranquility. For a time, it appeared they had found it. They began to rebuild, to breathe anew, to hope once more.
Then came the diagnosis.
Acute leukemia.
Words no parent should ever have to hear.
“I thought we had survived the worst,” Artem’s mother says softly. “But fate wasn’t finished with us.”
From that point on, their lives transformed into a struggle not just for survival, but for every heartbeat, every breath, every tomorrow.
Artem has spent the last few months undergoing intensive chemotherapy — exhausting treatments that drain the body of strength and the spirit of ease. The side effects have been harsh. He often feels weak, nauseous, and in pain. His immune system barely holds on, making him susceptible to every infection.
Yet, he continues to fight.
His mother stays by his side day and night. She cannot work — she cannot even leave him. “When your child is in pain,” she says, “you forget about everything else — money, sleep, even yourself. You just want to keep him alive.”
They exist between hospital walls and the quiet of their small rented room, their days defined by test results, doctor appointments, and the beeping of medical machines. Amid tears and fatigue, there is only one constant — love.
Artem’s father passed away after a prolonged illness. Now, it is just the two of them. One mother, one son, one daunting battle — and the hope that they do not have to face it alone.
“Watching him suffer is unbearable,” she confesses. “But I have to be strong. He looks at me, and I know I can’t show fear. He needs to see hope in my eyes — even when my heart is breaking.”
The next stage of Artem’s treatment will be even more challenging — a 52-day chemotherapy protocol that will test his small body to its limits. His doctors emphasize that he must be in the best possible condition to endure it. This requires constant care, a special diet, medications, and rehabilitation to aid his recovery after each cycle.
However, all of this comes at a cost — a cost that Artem’s mother simply cannot afford.
Every day presents a choice between medical expenses, travel to the hospital, or food. The expense of special nutrition alone is overwhelming. Yet halting treatment is not an option. Not when the alternative is unimaginable.
“It’s hard to ask for help,” she admits, tears welling in her eyes. “But when you see your child fading away in front of you, pride disappears. I would beg the whole world if it meant saving him.”
Artem’s mother has exhausted every avenue — selling what she could, borrowing, sacrificing every comfort — but now, they have reached their limit. What they need most is time, hope, and the kindness of others.
That is why she is reaching out to you.
Every donation, every small act of kindness, helps them continue their fight. It means another hospital visit, another meal, another chance for Artem to keep going.
Artem dreams of simple joys — drawing, playing outside, returning to school. Things most children take for granted. He doesn’t understand why his body has betrayed him, only that he must be brave.
And he is.
Even on his toughest days, he manages a smile for his mother. A small, weary smile that reminds her why she must keep fighting too.
💛 Please, help Artem continue his fight for life.
Your support can provide him the strength to endure this next phase of treatment — to heal, to grow, to live.
Because no mother should have to witness her child fade away.
And no child should have to confront cancer alone.
Together, we can offer Artem what every child deserves — a future.
