Freedom is my superpower. Katia's story from Odesa region

For Katia, freedom is above all else! For her, it is measured by the ability to be herself under any circumstances, live communication with friends and places of power in her native Odesa.

We met this 16-year-old girl and her mother Antonina at Dacha in Lviv. It is here, at the Clinical Center for Pediatric Medicine, that Katia is currently undergoing treatment and is slowly discovering Lviv.

They come from the most ethnically diverse region of Ukraine, Bessarabia.

"We love our region very much and associate it only with Ukraine. Embroidery in our region, embroidered paintings, woven carpets are similar to Carpathian patterns. I always enjoy seeing this similarity," says Antonina.

Katya has been treated for cancer since she was 10 years old. She still remembers what the symptoms were back then - she suddenly started having pain in her lower abdomen. Then she and her mother went to local doctors and underwent the necessary examinations. Subsequently, they were referred to Okhmatdyt in Kyiv, and from there - to the Cancer Institute for treatment. 

During her long treatment in Kyiv, the mother and daughter lived at the Dacha from the Zaporuka Foundation. Katya has vivid memories of those days:

"A spacious kitchen with a large table where all the summer residents gathered to celebrate birthdays or other occasions."

Then the disease receded, and Katia returned to her normal life. But in June 2022, she relapsed. The girl came back to Kyiv for treatment and later continued it in the Czech Republic. There she underwent a bone marrow transplant.

Despite all the challenges, the girl overcame the disease this time. In February 2023, she returned to Ukraine. She entered a vocational college to study social work in Odesa.  

"When my daughter came home for the weekend one day, she asked me to go with her for another checkup," Antonina recalls. "And when we received the results, we could not accept the fact that there was another relapse for a very long time..."

Now the family is being treated at the Center for Children's Medicine, and in between treatments they live at Dacha. "The hardest part of hospital procedures," says the girl, "is seeing needles in my veins. It is not so much painful as psychologically difficult."

Katya is a bright personality, and the feeling of freedom is always in the first place for her. To occupy her time between treatments, she signed up for motorcycle driving lessons. And she can't hide her joy - she loves it! And now she and her father have a great topic for discussion.

The mother says that for a long time she and her husband tried to dissuade her daughter. They said it was quite dangerous. But they decided not to object. Now they attend classes together. Although, as Antonina admits, despite her daughter's constant persuasion, she hasn't yet gotten behind the wheel of a motorcycle.

Katia has many friends, mostly in Odesa. "They always ask about my treatment and support me. It helps a lot," she says.

During her stay in Lviv, she also made a friend. Although Katia admits that she breathes more freely in her hometown.

So whenever they have the opportunity, they and their mother go to their native land. This summer, they have already visited Odesa, swam in the sea, and met with family and friends.

At Dacha, she enjoys joint activities and spending time together, such as barbecue evenings outside and trips to the lake.

For Antonina, communication with other mothers in the family home is very helpful.

"At Dacha, with my parents, we talk, get together for coffee, and exercise together every day. It brings us very close."

The whole team is rooting for Katya's recovery. We are convinced that she has many more bright moments ahead of her and that her wildest dreams and plans will come true. 

As part of the Home Away from Home project, the Zaporuka Foundation team provides comfort for families in Family home "Dacha" from the Zaporuka Foundation is located next to hospitals in Lviv and provides comprehensive support to patients and their families, including psychological, legal, and social services.

For 16 years, we have been working to ensure that families facing serious diagnoses of their children are not left alone in difficult days. We know how important it is to have a place where you can catch your breath, feel support and just be together. For many families, Dacha has already become a real island of strength, support, and hope. We are glad that thanks to the Home Away from Home project, even more families will find comfort and care here 

The Home Away from Home initiative is implemented in cooperation with the Network 100 percent of life Rivne  and with the financial support of European Union in Ukraine within the framework of the EU4CSOs EmpowerUA project. The contents of this news are the sole responsibility of the Zaporuka Charitable Foundation and the 100 Percent Life Network Rivne and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.