The Race to Walk Again: Yuliana's Journey to a Pain-Free Future
Yuliana, a 14-year-old girl from Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine.
Key Takeaways (Quick Facts):
Who is Yuliana? A 14-year-old girl from Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine, fighting a malignant bone tumor after a two-year misdiagnosis.
Her Progress: Following six intensive rounds of chemotherapy in Lviv, her tumor successfully shrank by 70%.
The Urgent Need: She required a highly complex, 24-hour surgery to remove the remaining tumor and install a custom-made artificial hip endoprosthesis.
The Success: Through the power of an online social media campaign, our community rallied together and fully funded the $7,000 needed for her custom prosthetic, surgery, and medical treatment in just one week!
At the Ukrainian Women's Association of America (UWAA), we partner with the incredible team at EVUM to support children battling cancer across Ukraine. Here is the story of a brave 14-year-old girl named Yuliana, who was in the fight of her life and desperately needed help to take her next steps.
The Struggle: A Two-Year Search for Answers
Yuliana is a bright 14-year-old from Ivano-Frankivsk with a deep love for the Spanish language. But for two years, her life was defined by chronic pain. Initially, doctors misdiagnosed her severe joint pain and treated her for rheumatism. It wasn't until an X-ray and biopsy of her hip joint that the devastating truth was revealed: Yuliana was suffering from a malignant bone tumor.
The Hope: Healing in Lviv
Following her diagnosis, Yuliana underwent aggressive treatment at a hospital in Lviv under the care of our partners at EVUM. She completed six grueling blocks of chemotherapy, and her resilience paid off. The medical dynamics were incredibly positive: the tumor shrank by an astounding 70%. Best of all, the agonizing pain that plagued her for two years finally disappeared, leaving her feeling much better.
The Financial Need: A $7,000 Custom Solution
Yuliana reached a critical crossroads. To completely eradicate the cancer, she was scheduled for a major surgery. Because the tumor was located very high up in her hip, doctors needed to perform a complex, 24-hour operation to remove it and install a two-part, custom-made artificial hip endoprosthesis. Because this prosthetic had to be manufactured individually to fit her growing body, the cost of the device, surgical intervention, and medical treatment was $7,000.
How You Closed the Gap
EVUM's operating budget was stretched to its absolute limit, heavily depleted by the constant, daily expenses of essential medicines, consumables, and laboratory tests for all the children in their care. They could not fund Yuliana's surgery alone — but our community stepped in.
Thanks to an incredible outpouring of support, we successfully raised the full $7,000 through an online campaign in just one week.
Your donations went directly toward Yuliana's custom endoprosthesis and her life-saving operation. By closing this funding gap so quickly, you gave a 14-year-old girl her mobility, her future, and her childhood back.
Help Write the Next Success Story
Every dollar you contribute directly funds life-saving surgeries, chemotherapy treatments, and specialized medical supplies for Ukrainian children like Yuliana.
Stand with us. Help another child heal.
