Save Sebastian

Parents desperate appeal to fund three-year-old’s cancer treatment

DESPERATE parents have made an appeal for help to save their three-year-old son’s life.

In February Sebastian Witkowski was diagnosed with stage three malignant lymphoblastic lymphoma cancer.

He is now receiving extensive chemotherapy treatment abroad that is estimated to last two years but his family can no longer fund.

Parents Agnieszka and Pawel are “exhausted emotionally and financially” and have set up a Gofundme page to help raise money for his medical bills. So far, they have €15,765 towards their €50,000 goal.

Mum Agnieszka, who is from Poland, said after receiving treatment in Ireland, Sebastian became so ill she took him to a hospital in her home country.

She said: “Doctors discovered a tumour size 9x8cm. A tomography and some additional tests revealed he developed superior vena cava syndrome because of it.

“The doctors further explained the tumour was putting a lot of pressure on Sebastian’s lungs and blocking the blood flow through one of the main heart veins.

“Basically, my son was in a danger of dying within the next 48 hours, if the tumour size was not reduced.

“After a long pause the doctor added the lump on Sebastian’s chest contains cancer.

“In that moment my entire world shattered.”

Unfortunately, there was even more bad news for the family.

Agnieszka said: “Because we have been living and working in Ireland for more than 12 years, and we are insured in Ireland, we will need to cover the cost of all the treatments provided to Sebastian in Poland.

“I was told it is very unlikely that we will be entitled to receive any financial support from the State.

“After nearly 13 years in Ireland, working very hard every day, paying taxes, insurance and all mandatory public contributions, and despite the fact we have never availed of any social welfare support, we were left on our own with a seriously ill child.

“Finally, HSE agreed to cover the cost of the first three months of the medical expenses through EHIC. However, Sebastian will need at least two years of treatment.

“We beg you to help us finance our son’s treatment. We feel great pain watching our child suffering every day but we feel even worse, thinking we may not be able to provide him with the medical care he needs.”

■ To make a donation visit www. gofundme.com/help4sebastian.

We beg you to help fund our son’s treatment. We feel great pain AGNIESZKA WITKOWSKI