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Ania is 46 years old. Before she fell ill, she worked in the Special School Complex in Radom. She took care of children with disabilities. Now she needs help herself, and her life was estimated at just over a million zlotys. It is close to collecting this money. Anyone can help.
- It started with swelling on my leg. Within a few months, Ania’s life turned upside down. When she heard the diagnosis: diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, she knew she had to fight
- In May 2020, when she was almost successful, the disease returned. The only salvation for Ania is CAR-T Cell therapy. In Poland, its cost is well over a million zlotys. Unfortunately, it is not reimbursed
- Treatment must be started as soon as possible
Unusual symptoms and diagnosis, after which the world collapsed
«I have a wonderful son and I want to live for him so much. I can see that he is feeling helpless, tears streaming into his eyes as he looks at me. I would like so much that he would not have to worry about me and fear for tomorrow »- writes 46-year-old Ania Kościelniak in the text available on the website siepomaga.pl
How did Ania have to ask for help? In October 2018, she noticed a swelling on her leg. Worried, she went to the doctor, had an ultrasound and prescribed medications. Unfortunately, the swelling did not diminish, and after a while she developed excruciating pain that made her unable to sleep a blind eye. Then everything happened very quickly: rheumatology ward, acute kidney failure, another ward, dialysis and the first diagnosis: a malignant tumor in the pelvis, several centimeters high.
In January 2019, Ania heard the final diagnosis that literally knocked her off her feet – diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in stage IV (highest) stage. The cancer has spread to the lymph nodes, lungs and thyroid gland.
– Lymphoma is aggressive. As the doctors explained to us, 80 percent. cancer cells divide, so the disease rapidly spreads to other organs. This is her strength, but also her weakness. The fact that chemotherapy affects cells that are undergoing division makes the lymphoma sensitive to chemotherapy – explains Waldemar Szymański, Ania’s brother.
Anna was urgently admitted to the hospital and literally began to fight for her life. Chemotherapy was initially successful. The neoplastic changes in the lungs, pelvis and thyroid have disappeared. She took the last dose of the first cycle of chemistry in September 2019. It seemed that the fight against the disease was over. However, within a month the lymphoma returned.
Treatment options exhausted
In October 2019, during a PET scan, it turned out that the lymphoma did not go away. The neoplastic lesions reappeared in the area of the lower spine. Ania returned to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Doctors kept hoping for a full recovery. In May 2020, the 46-year-old underwent a transplant of her own hematopoietic cells, which was to end treatment. Unfortunately, the joy of recovery lasted far too short. Relapse of the disease occurred two weeks after leaving the hospital.
– From the information we got from the professors who treated my sister, it appears that lymphoma is primarily resistant to chemotherapy. My sister is almost cured, but it “almost” makes a big difference. The administration of subsequent chemotherapy will certainly stop the progression of the disease a bit, but it will not give a chance for a complete cure – says Waldemar.
In Ania’s case, CAR-T Cell therapy can help. It is a type of innovative immunotherapy that uses the patient’s own cells – T lymphocytes, subjected to a specific genetic modification. In Poland, CAR-T Cell therapy is performed in two centers – in Gliwice and Poznań.
– While my sister was being treated, I was looking for new solutions. This is how I found the CAR-T Cell method. I made an appointment for my sister with professor Sebastian Giebel, who heads the Clinic of Bone Marrow Transplantology and Oncohematology at the hospital in Gliwice. I asked one question: professor, considering what you see in the records, is there a treatment that will give my sister the best chance of recovery. Aside from the non-medical obstacles. The professor said without hesitation that the sister had to undergo CAR-T Cell therapy as soon as possible.
A million zloty therapy that saves lives
Contrary to many Western European countries, therapy in Poland is not reimbursed, which is why Ania’s family decided to open a charity fundraiser on siepomaga.pl. A lot of people are involved in the fundraising, including Ania’s son, 17-year-old Michał, at the helm. Ania openly says that her son is her motivation to fight. She would like to see him graduate next year and start her dream studies. She would like to be proud of her son’s first job, support him in difficult times and be happy with him when he starts a family.
She is over 300 zlotys away from making her dreams come true. As soon as we manage to collect funds for treatment (which with your help should happen even faster), Ania will be able to start therapy in Gliwice.
– We all sit on high heels. Nine days remain until the end of the collection. More than 300 are still missing. The sooner Ania starts therapy, the better. We don’t want the lymphoma to spread again.
– I will do anything for my beloved mother. I send hundreds of messages a day asking for help. I am asking all good people for support so that my beloved mother could start treatment as soon as possible. The drug takes five weeks to produce, and it won’t start if there is not the full amount. This waiting is the worst, we have to act very quickly – adds Michał, Ania’s son.
Whether or not Ania starts treatment depends on the success of the collection. Ania’s help, thanks to Michał’s involvement, was joined, among others, by Filip Chajzer, who published a letter from the boy on his fanpage.
A link to the fundraising event and to Ania’s story can be found HERE.
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