Natalia VÎLCU-BAJUREAN, President of the Association
The life of my family and of myself had dramatically changed in March 2018, in a way that no one should ever imagine.
The situation when a doctor is announcing a cancer diagnosis may be hardly compared to the strongest lightning during a thunderstorm. And when you find out that this diagnosis related to your child, the earth is literally running away from under your feet. Followed a torturous path to cure, here in Moldova, at the hospital where angels work as doctors and who dedicate all their time, skill and knowledge to a single goal - to save children from death.
It was the time when I understood that pediatric oncology in our country must be supported and encouraged. In Moldova modern treatments are also applied, and there are results and progresses, but to achieve these titanic efforts are made by everyone: doctors, hospital, family, patients. However, much more resources besides those provided by the state are needed.
I decided to join the Association "Life without leukemia", this being the only organization supporting pediatric cancer children undergoing treatment in our country. The association is rather small, still little known, with modest incomes, but with a very strong impact in our society. I came up with a new vision on our future activity and together with the team we have identified ways to launch on a larger scale. But the fall of 2019 decided otherwise…
At a certain moment I asked myself: ”Why me? After everything that happened in our family and all difficulties we went through and are still undergoing, I think I have the moral right to give up”. And I was ready to leave, but it would have also meant a shattering of all efforts of my predecessors and myself to make ourselves heard and seen. But most importantly, it would have meant a betrayal of children whom we are encouraging to continue the fight against cancer through everything we do.
We are a handful of people, mothers and fathers who have treated their children from leukemia at the Oncological Institute in Chisinau. Everything we do pursues a single goal - to help children get through the treatment with more courage and to overcome the disease. We cannot stop the disease, nor reduce the number of cases, but we can stay beside the children and their families, we can inspire their confidence in success, we can render to our brave little patients all the joys of childhood. This is the reason for our existence, and this is why we need the support of everyone!
Natalia Vilcu
🍀 You can find more information on how you can help us support the little patients in the pediatric wards of the Oncological Institute.
