Cheles Irina, 6 years

The large Cheles family is doing everything it can to treat their daughter Irina. She is 6 and fighting a rare disease.

She lost her voice for the first time when she was two. The parents thought that the girl had screamed too loudly during a play and thus had strained her voice. But time went by but the little girl’s voice was not coming back. And then, in Moscow, she was diagnosed with laryngeal papillomatosis. Those are benign tumors in the larynx which grow quickly and may block the passage of air to the lungs. The only way of treating papillomas is surgical removal.

During the next 3.5 years of her life the girl has undergone 10 surgeries. New tumors grew in a month and a half after every operation, the child’s respiration got difficult, her life came under danger again. After the first three surgeries the parents took Irina to South Korea, to the Yeson Voice Centre. The subsequent operations were carried out in that centre. The good result achieved was the fact that papillomas stopped to appear on the places they had been removed from. The doctor who is treating Irina has given her parents the hope that there is only a little way to go till full recovery. The parents understand that they cannot loose heart but they don’t have any money for the further treatment.

Now little Irina has no voice at all. After so many surgeries there is a big cicatrix in her epiglottis. It has to be removed because it is dangerous for the girl’s life.

Next year Irina has to start school. She wants so much to be healthy, to have forces for studies and plays with her classmates. Ira loves gymnastics and dancing, but the serious breathing problems do not allow her to practice.

We are Irina’s parents last hope. Together, we can help the girl recover her health and return to a normal life. We are opening fund raising for her – the needed amount is 9 500 USD (~190 000 MDL).