“She is not afraid of anything and wants everything at once,” says the mother of seven-year-old Ilona. 

Bicycle and scooter, somersault and splits!

But in May, the life of cheerful and energetic Ilona changed. She developed a headache and nausea, so the family took her to a local hospital. Examination indicated a brain tumor. In a few days, Ilona and her mother were already in the Neurosurgery department of the Okhmatdyt National Hospital.

Here Dr. Pavlo Plavskyi successfully operated to remove the tumor. Ilona has been gradually recovering. She learned to walk again after surgery. Today, the girl continues her treatment in the oncology department. She has already finished six cycles of chemotherapy. Ilona finds joy in creative classes with volunteer Anya, who visits children at the hospital every weekend. 

Last week they cut out and painted hummingbirds from paper. The brighter, the better! The girls talked a lot about their work. Ilona shared stories of her adventures and dreams of traveling. 

Now Ilona can’t travel because she has to continue her treatment. She has two more cycles of chemotherapy and a course of radiation therapy.

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