12.03.2026
Thank you so much to everyone who has been helping Katia beat her illness since June 2021! Everything is very hard, new problems appear, the treatment changes, but Katia and her mother do not give up and keep fighting. It is very hard to be treated in a foreign country with no family nearby. At her mother’s request we are opening a third fundraiser for the girl’s rehabilitation. There is no one else to help them.
Katia’s mother’s phone broke, the screen is smashed, so the news comes late.
"Katia has been feeling unwell all these days. There will be a consultation with the neurologist soon, I will discuss all the symptoms with her. Katiusha is continuing her rehabilitation. An individual remedial lesson 1 time a week costs 25 €. That makes 100-125 € a month. And 15 € for 1 extra lesson in a small group for all-round development: motor skills, exercises for the brain, memory and so on. That makes 60-75 € a month. Altogether it comes to 160-200 € a month".
08.04.2024
Our deepest thanks for your help! Since August 2023 Katia has been having very severe seizures that last for several weeks. Her anticonvulsant was changed, then the dose had to be changed again. The seizures are very strong; she takes a long time to recover afterwards, has problems with memory and learning, and her motor skills suffer.
The doctors called me in and said that although the treatment had given positive results, it had not helped. The antibodies keep being produced and attack the cerebellum. They said they do not know how much time she has. The prognosis is poor. They thought about what could be done and decided to offer an experimental bone marrow transplant. If we agree, it will be Katia’s third transplant. It is a very risky procedure in itself, and in this case, on top of the strongest medicines used in a transplant, they would add very powerful drugs whose effect on a child cannot be predicted. It is an experimental transplant that has never been done on children. It has been done only for 2 adults with a different diagnosis. The doctors warned of a very high risk of death. They said that if the child survives, the options are these: she may get worse, the transplant may not help and everything will stay the same, and there is a small chance that she will get better. It is very hard for me to write such things. And even harder to think about them. The doctors said the decision must be made as soon as possible and gave me 2 weeks to think. Then they must get approval for this dangerous procedure from a board covering all of Catalonia.
The 2 weeks in which I was to make the decision have already passed. But I asked for extra time to wait for the results of the examinations and, if the child’s condition allows, I want a second opinion. As the doctors described the situation to me, the risk of death is very high, the outcome unpredictable; they cannot give the chances of a good outcome, because this has not been done before and so there are no statistics. Besides, the child is already worn out and weakened by previous heavy treatments, transplants, courses of antibodies, epileptic seizures and complications after infections. This year alone she has already had 3 ear infections with a temperature of 40 and antibiotics. She is also seen by a nephrologist, because there are questions about the kidney on the side where the adrenal gland was removed.
The hospital was to design rehabilitation lessons for us. They said the work had to start at once and continue without a break. But the programme was never drawn up. For a long time now (since February 2022, with breaks for treatment and illness) we have been doing the rehabilitation ourselves, as remedial and developmental lessons for brain work and learning to read. After each series of seizures all her skills regress, her motor skills and coordination get worse. And all of it has to be restored. Her neurologist concluded that she needs remedial lessons in her own language. We go to a wonderful teacher who specialises in such children. And it is also very important that Katia learns to read and write well. So that she can communicate with the people around her. Because right now she is in an information vacuum. There is so much I want to tell her, and so much she wants to know. She wants to talk with children her age. I hope that reading will make this possible. Learning is hard for her because of the damaged cerebellum, but she tries. We are very grateful for the donations to the account of the Little Bee Foundation. On our own we could not pay for the lessons. The lessons cost about 220 euros a month, depending on the number of weeks. As soon as Katia feels well enough we go to the lessons in any weather. It is hard, but the result is very noticeable. The doctors themselves say she needs lessons all the time, it is like rehabilitation after a stroke. Stop, and it will be far harder to restore everything afterwards.
Yours sincerely, Katia’s mother!
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Friends, I have to ask you for help. Our daughter Katia urgently needs an examination abroad. Today the child has nausea and vomiting that have lasted more than a year, impaired coordination of movement and of the visual fields, and atrophy of the cerebellum.
Three years ago (in 2018) she was given a terrible diagnosis: stage 4 neuroblastoma with metastases in the bone marrow. We went through hard treatment: 8 blocks of chemotherapy, 2 bone marrow transplants, an operation to remove the tumour and the adrenal gland, many anaesthetics, subclavian catheter placements, blood and platelet transfusions, and at last we reached remission. In January 2020 Katia began to feel sick and vomit after eating. Numerous examinations showed nothing. Then the coordination of movement and of the visual fields was impaired and her hearing deteriorated sharply. An MRI showed atrophy of the cerebellum, and her hearing keeps getting much worse.
We were given the diagnosis: paraneoplastic syndrome. The body reacts to the tumour and attacks itself. But why does this happen? The follow-up examinations found no tumour.
Katia was put on a drip of ''Bioven'' – a medicine meant to relieve the symptoms. The first course helped a great deal, the paresis of the optic nerves went away, the coordination improved a little. Later courses brought no substantial improvement. The atrophy of the cerebellum is increasing. Today the child can hardly hear, the coordination of movement is impaired, the nausea and vomiting have lasted more than a year, she cannot eat properly and is losing weight. All this time we have hardly left the hospitals, constantly having examinations and drips.
In Ukraine we have had every possible examination and have been in the hospitals of the highest level – Okhmatdyt and the Institute of Paediatrics. We have now turned to the Sant Joan de Deu clinic in Spain. At the consultation the oncologist questioned our diagnosis and said that an examination by a team of doctors was needed, and tests that do not exist in Ukraine. The examinations are not simple, and if the clinic’s diagnosis is confirmed, Katia faces very complex treatment. The clinic has issued an invoice for 20697 euros.
We need to go for the examination as soon as possible, the child’s condition is getting worse, and the drips last for an ever shorter time. Now she is given huge doses of ''Bioven'' almost every month. The cost of an examination abroad is beyond us; we spend a great deal of time in hospitals and all our money goes on diagnostics. My husband, Oleksii Yarovenko, cannot work for health reasons: in January 2020 he had a massive stroke right there in the children’s hospital.
We are asking all caring people for help! Thank you very much for your support!
Ways to help can be found here.
22.05.2026
News from Katya's mother:
"On Monday, we had a routine visit to the gastroenterologist. She probably caught a virus there. She has a low fever, 38.5 but nothing is bringing it down. She's constantly vomiting and having seizures, especially at night. Today, she's better, her temperature 37.4 and she ate something.
In March, we had an appointment with a neurologist. We were happy that the new medication was helping, but the neurologist told us to increase the dose. On the morning of 23 March, I increased Katya's dose and took her to school for a few hours. Half an hour later, I received a call that Katya was unwell, had a severe headache, and couldn't walk. I rushed over, called an ambulance, and went to the emergency room. There, Katya was treated with several medications, had her blood tested, and had an urgent CT scan of her head because she also had severe tremors. Thank God, the CT scan was the same as the previous one. They discharged her and told her to monitor her. As a result, she had months of attacks, headaches, and was constantly cold. The new medication was eventually discontinued, and now we're gradually reducing the dose and weaning her off it. Then we'll try the next one.
Katya also had a visit to a vertebrologist. Because Katya hasn't been able to lie down or sleep upright for about a year. She's starting to feel dizzy. She sleeps in a semi-sitting position. If her pillow slips while she's sleeping, she wakes up and picks it up. CT and ultrasound scans are very difficult; she can't lie upright; they've used a pillow, but it's still low. The vertebrologist, for his part, didn't see any problems and said it was most likely due to cerebellar damage.
Ultimately, the doctors don't know how to fix it.
Thank you all so much for your support!!!!!"
Sincerely, Alena, Katya's mother.
10 December 2025
News from Katya's mom:
"Katya has had the flu "A" very badly. And she has a very hard time recovering from viruses. She vomits, can't eat anything, and the worst thing is that she needs to take a lot of medications morning and evening, they can't be missed, but she throws everything up. But we're trying different approaches, trying different drinks with it, small amounts at a time. I'm taking her to school for short periods now, and she still falls asleep there; I think it's a side effect of the flu. We're also gradually introducing a new epilepsy medication.
We have a new neurologist, and she's also trying to get her into remission from her seizures, so she added a third medication. We've been administering it, gradually increasing the dose, for 3 a month. Then another consultation.
Before the flu, Katya and I were already walking without a wheelchair. The wheelchair is very big and very difficult to navigate on the crowded subway. So we walked without it; I pushed her on a scooter. The teachers at school and the doctors were very surprised and praised Katya; she's so great! Now we've been using a wheelchair because she's weak, but we're trying again without it so we don't lose this skill.
As before, we go to sessions with our special-needs teacher to learn to read. It all goes very hard. She does not hear the letters, and however much you explain to her that, for instance, the letter «i» is read as «i», in the next word she still reads «y». And then she does not understand the meaning of what she has read. All the same, she can already read separate simple words of two syllables.
She can study for a short time if she's really tired, then she falls asleep. The teachers at the Spanish school are understanding about this problem. They made her a bed out of mats, a blanket, and a pillow. They sent me a photo from a lesson where Katya is fast asleep after a hard day's work. It's very good that they let her sleep, so her brain can rest and not trigger attacks.".
Sincerely, Alyona, Katya's mother.
16.06.2025
News from Katyusha's mom:
"We've been living in a room in Badalona, near Barcelona, since December 2024. Katya has had severe breathing problems since November. We had several x-rays at the emergency room, but nothing showed up. We urgently had tumor markers checked. One was elevated, but only slightly. The problem persists, but it's lessened. We recently had a routine oncology checkup, and our oncologist didn't like one indicator in the immunogram. She says it used to be normal, but at the last checkup it was low, and now it's dropped significantly. She'll consult with the immunology specialist to see how dangerous this is. And, if I understand her correctly, this could have somehow led to the breathing problems. Katya periodically has seizures, and at other times, she experiences a lack of energy. She goes to school for a few hours. We are very grateful for this opportunity. The hospital also gave us paperwork for a free wheelchair. They even did a spinal X-ray to make sure it fits properly. We're still waiting for it. Katya's already slouched a bit because she sleeps almost sitting up. If she lies down, she gets dizzy.
Because of this, we had a very difficult time getting an MRI of her head in April because she couldn't lie flat.
The MRI showed a significant decrease in the volume of the cerebellum. But the doctor said it was about the same as last year's MRI, thank God!"
02.05.2024
Katya has been staying home periodically with seizures. She's recently caught some kind of virus, vomiting while coughing, and I'm worried it might turn into seizures again. We had an MRI. The doctors who wrote the report said that the treating neurologist should compare the atrophy with the previous MRI. So, for now, we're in the dark. They only wrote that the hippocampus had shrunk. Immediately after the MRI, I ordered a neurologist's report for a second opinion. I haven't received it yet. We're supposed to have a consultation with a neurologist. 17.05So far, we've seen an ophthalmologist. She said everything is the same. She did a test, which showed that she can't see objects that move quickly. But we already knew that. The main thing is that they didn't find any deterioration.
Sincerely, Alena, Katya's mother.
24.07.2023
Thank you so much! As always, you come to the rescue at the right time!
We had oncology tests: MIBG and blood tests are normal, thank God!
It said there were post-surgery changes, but the oncologist said it could be scarring or fibrosis. She ordered another test, and the results were given by phone at the end of August. During the test, it turned out that the kidney where the adrenal gland was removed had shrunk. A consultation with a nephrologist was scheduled.
Katya again had bouts of nausea and vomiting with epileptic seizures. We spent 2 days in the emergency room with seizures every 10 minutes. The doctors increased the anticonvulsant dose by 1.5 a factor, and now she has nausea without any visible attacks. She spent a very long time recovering at home, and she's still recovering. Now the nausea has subsided, but she can barely eat anything. We have another appointment with the gastroenterologist.
Her hearing aids were adjusted and repaired. She can hear sounds slightly better, but she still can't hear words.
Thank you so much for remembering!
Sincerely, Alena, Katya's mother.
15.12.2022
In February 2022 Katya received a 4 course of rituximab (human and mouse antibodies). This drug is very difficult to tolerate. Katya couldn't walk for several days; her legs, head, neck, and stomach ached. She had a high fever. We had to go to the emergency room. There, they examined us, checked for all sorts of infections, and did an X-ray of her leg. They stopped the rituximab for a week. Then, fortunately, the subsequent courses went easier.
This drug severely weakens the immune system, and even the slightest infection becomes very dangerous. From that time on, we were constantly rushed to the emergency room with a fever that wouldn't go down, and we were hospitalized several times. After some infections, Katya needed about 2 months to recover.
After treatment with retuximab, Katya had a blood test, but the antibodies still came back positive. However, the effect of the treatment was very noticeable. The doctors wanted to start the next course of treatment in September, but decided to observe for now. Perhaps because her body hadn't yet recovered from such a serious treatment.
Despite the positive effect, Katya continues to vomit several times a day for an unknown reason.
In May 2022 Katya had an MIBG scan. Thank God, everything is stable. This test is done every six months due to the strong radioactivity of the contrast agent.
In August, her nausea sharply increased, then she began having epileptic seizures during the nausea. It got to the point where she was shaking almost constantly. Even a 15 minute electroencephalogram showed an epileptic seizure. She was prescribed medication, which almost completely eliminated the seizures. However, the electroencephalogram shows some concerning features that the doctors are concerned. The nausea continues, and its cause is unclear.
Katya also had a nocturnal somonogram, which checked her breathing, as she often chokes in her sleep. Fortunately, the results showed nothing wrong. She also had an abdominal ultrasound and blood tests, the results of which we are still awaiting.
Due to a weakened immune system, Katya has had an ear infection for over a month. She's been to the emergency room several times with high fever and ear pain. After the first course of antibiotics and hormones, she lost her appetite, had serious trouble sleeping, and became extremely nervous and restless; I couldn't leave her side. Her nausea intensified. Then, suddenly, she started having severe attacks again, many times a day. Katya's condition worsened, and everything happened at once. First, she couldn't sleep, and she wouldn't fall asleep until 2- at night. Then she'd fall asleep hugging me, and as soon as I woke up, she'd scream. Even with antibiotics, I had to cook with her in my arms at night. The severe attacks started again. The ear infection hasn't cleared up for over a month. She took an antibiotic and a hormone, and it made her feel really bad. She wouldn't eat and cried constantly. But at the emergency room, they prescribed her an antibiotic anyway. They said, "We understand she's very nauseous and that's what's causing the severe attacks, but if you don't treat the ear, the child could get meningitis." Today she hasn't eaten anything since morning. I finally managed to feed her just recently, and she "passed out", although she's already woken up a couple of times, couldn't figure out where she was, was talking and shaking.
We're waiting to see the doctor.
Katya also 2 had a stomach X-ray done a day ago, as the cause of her nausea, which is turning into attacks, is unclear. The results are still pending. We were also sent to another hospital for a consultation and hearing test, as Katya can't hear words. The doctors recommended an MRI to try to determine the cause of her hearing loss. They haven't set a date yet. We also had several scheduled hearing examinations in Sant Pau and at the hearing center. We also had an examination with an ophthalmologist; he canceled Katya's previously prescribed glasses for now, as her vision had changed again. Until they prescribed new glasses, they scheduled additional examinations.
I really want my daughter to get better. She's such a good and kind girl. She suffers so much from being deaf. Her seizures are deteriorating her memory, and she forgets a lot. Because she can't hear, her speech has become slurred. As soon as we arrived for the examination, the neurologist said Katya urgently needs rehabilitation, especially for her cerebellum. But so far, we've only had 2 consultations and interviews with a rehabilitation specialist, one emergency one.
For rehabilitation, we attend paid remedial and developmental classes with a wonderful teacher who specializes in these types of disorders. I saw immediate results from the classes, so we really look forward to them and are upset when we have to miss them due to illness.
Thank you so much for not forgetting us! Thanks to all the caring people, Katya has a chance to overcome her illness!
Sincerely, Alena, Katya's mother.
02.02.2022
Hello.
Due to a new bout of vomiting, Katya had a stomach X-ray; the results are not yet available.
We bought hearing aids for 3316 euro, which improve her hearing. She can now hear sounds and individual words better.
We had antibody tests done after pulse therapy. The results were still positive, so the doctors decided to administer rituximab (a mouse and human antibody) intravenously every week for a month, then evaluate its effectiveness and, if it helps, administer it once a month for another 6 months. This drug severely suppresses the immune system. We were given it last Wednesday and were supposed to receive it today, but Katya developed a high fever last night, so the medication was discontinued until she recovered.
Thank you so much for your help and support!!!
Sincerely, Alena.
29.11.2021
Good afternoon!
16 We were hospitalized in Sant Pau on December 14 for further examination and treatment.
They performed a lumbar puncture under general anesthesia and took blood samples.
Then 3 we received pulse therapy IVs and were discharged home.
Katya is currently recovering from this procedure. She complains of weakness, abdominal pain, and occasional back pain after the puncture. An appointment with the doctor is scheduled for 1 December. The puncture and test results will be ready. The doctor will assess the child's condition and advise what to do next.
We were able to find hearing aids that can improve Katya's hearing. The bill is 3319 euro. We go to the hearing aid center once a week for fittings.
Thank you very much to everyone who cared about our plight.
Sincerely, Alena.
01.11.2021
Good afternoon!
We share the latest news.
I tested positive for anti-Hu-D antibodies, which are associated with neuroblastoma. They say they can develop at different times and may develop several years before the neuroblastoma itself.
I was diagnosed with paraneoplastic encephalitis with progressive cerebellar atrophy. They are recommending additional testing and treatment to alleviate the symptoms. They cannot cure it because the underlying cause remains: the body produces antibodies to the neuroblastoma. Our case is very rare, and only descriptions of such cases are found in the medical literature.
We would like to express our deepest gratitude to everyone for your help and support during this difficult time.
Sincerely, Alena.
29.09.2021
Hello!
11 We arrived in Barcelona on September 1.
A few days before departure, Katya began vomiting heavily and having bouts of speech loss. I was very worried about how we would make it to the flight in such a state. But the flight went more or less normally.
In Barcelona, they took blood tests. Katya was prescribed formula. Thanks to the doctors' recommendations, she hasn't been vomiting for several days, but she can barely eat anything and is still weak. At the time of her arrival, Katya was severely dehydrated due to the vomiting. Furthermore, the doctors said she has malnutrition. At this point, not all the tests are ready to understand the cause of her condition.
We did an MRI of her entire body and head. The MRI showed hypoplasia (atrophy) of the cerebellum.
Doctors believe that 1.5 years ago, when Katya first began vomiting heavily, she had cerebral edema. It's difficult to determine what caused it after all this time.
22-23 In September, Katya had an MIBG scintigraphy, a test that isn't performed in Ukraine.
The results aren't ready yet, but the doctor said over the phone that, thank God, everything is fine.
We had her hearing tested; it had deteriorated significantly; she could barely hear anything anymore. The doctor said a hearing aid probably wouldn't help, but we should still try to find one. Maybe she'll hear better somehow.
We also had other specialists examine her, who identified other problems.
The effects of cerebellar atrophy are, unfortunately, practically irreversible, but they need to be stopped to prevent further damage. Doctors are suggesting developing a rehabilitation program to improve her skills. Katya will begin it here. Once the program is fully tailored to her needs and abilities, she can continue in Ukraine.
We are currently waiting for the test results, which will be ready within three weeks. During this time, doctors will monitor Katya's condition, check for continued weight loss, and prescribe various additional tests.
We would be very grateful for your help!
Due to the examination and the child's condition, additional consultations and tests were scheduled that were not included in the original estimate. In addition, the costs for rent, a translator, and accommodation are very high. The child needs expensive special nutrition.
Thank you very much to everyone who is helping us!
Sincerely, Alena.
20.08.2021
Hello.
Today I paid the bill at the Sant Pau Clinic in Barcelona. We're waiting for your treatment schedule.
Thank you for your help!
Sincerely, Alena.
07.07.2021
Good afternoon!
Katya isn't feeling very well. She's eating very poorly, she's constantly nauseous, and she's losing weight again, which is already critical. She hears a buzzing sound in her ears, preventing her from sleeping at night. Almost every night, she experiences something similar to seizures several times. The doctors are very concerned about this. They say all these symptoms are very serious and require immediate examination and treatment.
Thank you so much to everyone who showed concern for our plight.
Sincerely, Alena.
Aid provided - 434 500,00 UAH:
30.07.2021 Charitable aid for treatment, 24 000,00
29.09.2021 Charitable aid for treatment, 12 000,00
15.12.2021 Charitable aid for treatment, 36 000,00
03.02.2022 Charitable aid for treatment, 23 000,00
18.03.2022 Charitable aid for treatment, 9 000,00
28.04.2022 Charitable aid for treatment, 10 000,00
20.06.2022 Charitable aid for treatment, 6 000,00
07.07.2022 Charitable aid for treatment, 7 000,00
20.07.2022 Charitable aid for treatment, 4 000,00
11.08.2022 Charitable aid for treatment, 23 000,00
10.10.2022 Charitable aid for treatment, 7 000,00
10.11.2022 Charitable aid for treatment, 10 000,00
01.12.2022 Charitable aid for treatment, 10 000,00
16.12.2022 Charitable aid for treatment, 50 000,00
16.01.2023 Charitable aid for treatment, 50 000,00
08.05.2023 Charitable aid for treatment, 10 000,00
22.05.2023 Charitable aid for treatment, 25 000,00
21.07.2023 Charitable aid for treatment, 8 800,00
24.07.2023 Charitable aid for treatment, 10 200,00
04.09.2023 Charitable aid for treatment, 15 000,00
03.10.2023 Charitable aid for treatment, 8 000,00
16.10.2023 Charitable aid for treatment, 15 000,00
15.11.2023 Charitable aid for treatment, 10 000,00
08.12.2023 Charitable aid for treatment, 9 000,00
16.01.2024 Charitable aid for treatment, 8 500,00
07.02.2024 Charitable aid for treatment, 10 000,00
19.02.2024 Charitable aid for treatment, 5 000,00
19.03.2024 Charitable aid for treatment, 19 000,00
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Aid provided - 135 000, 00 UAH:
02.05.2024 Charitable aid for treatment, 15 000,00
31.05.2024 Charitable aid for treatment, 15 000,00
11.09.2024 Charitable aid for treatment, 9 500,00
01.11.2024 Charitable aid for treatment, 12 000,00
28.11.2024 Charitable aid for treatment, 13 500,00
26.12.2024 Charitable aid for treatment, 12 500,00
12.02.2025 Charitable aid for treatment, 5 000,00
20.03.2025 Charitable aid for treatment, 3 000,00
25.04.2025 Charitable aid for treatment, 5 000,00
16.06.2025 Charitable aid for treatment, 4 500,00
25.06.2025 Charitable aid for treatment, 5 500,00
27.07.2025 Charitable aid for treatment, 5 500,00
20.08.2025 Charitable aid for treatment, 5 500,00
17.09.2025 Charitable aid for treatment, 4 500,00
20.10.2025 Charitable aid for treatment, 5 500,00
09.12.2025 Charitable aid for treatment, 5 500,00
17.02.2026 Charitable aid for treatment, 8 000,00
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Aid provided - 44 500, 00 UAH:
26.03.2026 Charitable aid for treatment, 6 500,00
19.05.2026 Charitable aid for treatment, 13 000,00
01.06.2026 Charitable aid for treatment, 3 500,00
03.08.2026 Charitable aid for treatment, 7 500,00
17.08.2026 Charitable aid for treatment, 14 000,00
