PATIENTS
Yanina
“My name is Yana and I am a 31-year-old woman from Ukraine. My struggle with breast cancer began just as war ravaged my country. My city, Kyiv, suffered from shelling, so my treatment and chance for recovery was very low. In an online group for Ukrainian cancer patients, I read that Blue Heron Foundation was sending patients to Romania for treatment. Without hesitation I wrote them a letter. And unexpectedly, and very quickly, I received an answer that they were ready to help me with my treatment and relocation. I traveled with my nine-year-old son Max and thanks to the wonderful people who organized everything, I did not feel any fatigue during the long journey.
Yanina, 31 years old, breast cancer patient
Ruslan and Anghelina
In the summer of 2022, Blue Heron heard about two siblings aged 4 and 10, both diagnosed with a rare blood cancer that required difficult and expensive bone marrow transplantation only available abroad. The children’s mother is Ukrainian, from Crimea and their father is from Transnistria, a semi-autonomous region in eastern Moldova that is not internationally recognized. The children did not have Ukrainian nationality, making them ineligible for free medical care in Europe, and Moldova’s health system was not advanced enough to provide the treatments they desperately needed. When Blue Heron took on this unique challenge, we were fortunate to have Dr. Horia Vulpe and Dr. Irena Tocino ready to use their contacts and expertise. The two doctors collaborated with New York-based NGO Grace Children’s Foundation and over the next months worked with the pediatric hospital “Bambino Gesù” in Rome to have the children accepted for treatment. We are thrilled to report that the first child is already in Rome with his father, receiving life-saving cancer therapy. We believe all children should have access to quality cancer care irrespective of their nationality.
Ruslan and Anghelina, leukemia patients
Natalia
“I’m Nataliia Brovarska. I live in Dnipro, Ukraine, and I’ve been fighting cancer for three years. The war made it very difficult for me to get treatment and my last hope was the Blue Heron Foundation. I reached out to them and they took care of everything. Ludmila arranged to have my medical documents translated into Romanian and Cristina met me when I arrived in Romania. He found me an apartment and within two days, scheduled a doctor’s appointment for me. I was very impressed with his work. Valentina accompanied me to my appointments, which was a great help. I’m very grateful to the Blue Heron team because they gave me the hope to keep on living. Thank you for the Cancer Care Program you have set up for Ukrainian patients. God bless you all!”
Natalia, 62 years old
Mariia
“I’m Mariia, the daughter of Nataliia B. You arranged for my mother to have cancer treatment in Romania. I would like to thank you for everything you did for my family. You gave my mother a chance to defeat cancer. Blue Heron Foundation team has supported my parents during this difficult period. I’ll never forget your support and kindness.”
A message from the daughter of one of our Cancer Care Program patients
Mariia, daughter of Blue Heron cancer patient, Natalia
Taran
“I am still trying to find the best words to express my gratitude for what Blue Heron has done for my father and therefore my family. But such words have not yet been invented, because your team has done the impossible! I didn’t think anything would work out, because I’m not in my own country and am living in a city where I don’t know anyone. But then the impossible happened: a doctor with the heart and hands of an angel operated on my father and now my father has been home for three days and we cannot believe his happiness. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your invaluable support and help to my family – and other families in Ukraine. Blue Heron gives people in dire need a chance to believe there is good in this world so they can love it again.”
Patient’s daughter: Natalia
Taran, 78 year old, colon cancer patient
Yana
I would like to thank Blue Heron foundation and their wonderful staff who arranged for me to receive life-saving therapy in Romania. In war-torn Ukraine it was impossible for me to get the medicine I needed for the postoperative treatment of my breast cancer. First of all I would like to thank Cristian, who was a wizard at organizing doctor visits, documentation, analyses, accommodation, and who supported us on an ongoing basis. Christian, you made it all work out! Victoria was also great, providing much-needed translation, along with coordinating various other intimidating tasks in a timely fashion. I also appreciate Ludmila’s help during the initial stages of procuring treatment. Romania itself was a great discovery for us, and we found the people and city of Iasi to be most wonderful. Once again, we thank Blue Heron and the marvelous staff who made sure I received my treatment. I am so happy that I will be able to see my daughter go to school.
Yana, age 36 with her daughter and husband along with BH coordinator Cristian Teglas (red shirt).