When Sofia was suddenly diagnosed with cancer, she had to grow up very quickly.

“She’s the kind of child who can make friends with everyone. But here, in the hospital, she becomes more withdrawn because she’s afraid of catching an infection. She rarely leaves her room and limits her contact with others herself,” says Sofia’s mother, Liubov.

What Sofia misses most during treatment is her two-year-old brother, Matvii. Over video calls, she teaches him how to dance and eagerly waits to see him again.

And she also misses her cat, Croissant. He’s not even ginger — but somehow the name stuck.

Before her diagnosis, Sofia dreamed of becoming a doctor. But now she says she wants to become a police officer instead — to protect her mom.

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