In November 2025, Ilariia was diagnosed with blood cancer. After four rounds of chemotherapy, she was expected to move on to the next stage of treatment — a bone marrow transplant. But the chemotherapy did not work.

Step by step, doctors at Okhmatdyt Children’s Hospital explored other treatment options. Eventually, the last available targeted therapy worked. But just as Ilariia was due to undergo the transplant, she developed a severe infection.

According to her mother, Svitlana, doctors estimated that Ilariia had a 10% chance of surviving the transplant. But without it, there were no remaining treatment options. Svitlana decided to go ahead with the procedure.

At the same time, Ilariia’s father, who serves in the Ukrainian military, was seriously wounded while withdrawing from a position. He says that thinking about his daughter helped him keep going until he reached safety.

Today, father and daughter are both continuing their treatment. When things get especially hard, Ilariia sometimes says, “Dad didn’t give up, and neither will I.”

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