Maksym Yefymenko

Letter from a mother:

I am the mother of Yefymenka Maksym Oleksandrovych, and my child has a congenital heart defect – an open arterial duct. We have been undergoing examinations since birth (at 4 months after bronchitis, heart murmurs began to be heard). Once a year we had an ultrasound at the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Clinical Center of Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery. The doctors recommended observation, and there were no complaints.

This year little Maksym started first grade, his workload increased, and I began to notice that he gets tired and sweats heavily. After a cardiologist consultation and the latest ultrasound, we were offered surgery to close the duct. This defect can now be closed by an endovascular method—using a coil (implant). Such an operation is less traumatic for the child. However, today the state, unfortunately, does not fund the purchase of these materials for this type of surgery, so the coil has to be bought with our own money. The price of the implant is 30 821 UAH. For me that’s a very large sum. On my own I was able to raise only 10 000 UAH.

I am divorced and raise my son on my own. I work as a teacher at a school in the city of Pershotravensk, Dnipropetrovsk region. With my modest salary I can’t save an amount like that. Maxym’s dad refuses to help collect funds, and in this difficult situation we have no one to rely on. Maxym is kind, cheerful and loves active games; he wants to take dance classes and boxing. His biggest dream is a healthy heart, because he knows that with a healthy heart he will be able to achieve all his other dreams on his own.

I never thought in my life that I would have to reach out with such a problem, but I have no choice. So I ask everyone who can: help save Maksymchyk! I appeal to all the caring people: help raise the remaining amount, give my only son a chance for a long and happy life!

Full name: Yefymenko Maksym Oleksandrovych, 05.01.2010

City: Pershotravensk, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast

Diagnosis: congenital heart defect – patent arterial duct

All details and documentation are here.