MUM’SHOPEFOR CANCERTEEN SLAVOMIR
A Laytown mum is trying to move heaven and earth to raise funds for her teenage son to battle a rare form of cancer.
Nadia Vavro says her son Slavomir (Slav) needs life-saving treatment abroad and she has set herself the monumental task of raising €50,000 so he can get the best care available.
‘We have to try everything possible to save our lovely boy,’ says Nadia, who is originally from Slavakia and has lived in Minnistown for the past four years.
“We have created a Go Fund Me page in hopes that we can focus on his care, and not the costs we are facing.”
13-year-old Slav, who is a pupil of Gormanston College, was diagnosed with Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare skeletal muscle cancer, in late January.
“Slav developed sudden stomach and back pain just two weeks before the diagnosis. They even isolated him thinking it was TB but after an MRI and bone marrow biopsy, the cancer was found,” she told the Drogheda Independent.
“I will never forget the doctor asking me if we could have a chat. I felt rooted to the spot and the only thing I could say was; ‘ this is too scary’.
Slav was transferred to Our Lady’s Hospital in Crumlin for further tests which showed that the primary location of the cancer was in the arch of his foot. However, it had spread to his spine and bone marrow.
Slav began chemo in Ireland on January 26th and it is scheduled for 27 weeks with additional maintenance treatment after. However, his consultant is giving the family a poor prognosis, as there is only one protocol for the disease in Ireland.
“As a mother you do not want to, and you cannot, tell your child that he has a cancer,’ says the heartbroken woman, who has given up her job as a social worker to care for her son.
“Slav is always smiling, spreading a good energy around and he is grateful for every day. His classmates and fellow scouts keep him cheerful, but does not deserve this. There is no child on this earth who would deserve something like this.”
A GoFundMe page has now been started and many local groups are organising fundraising events to boost the funds, which are now standing at just over €10,000.
“We all pass fundraisers on the street every day but until it is our own child, we don’t understand what it means. Everything else is meaningless,” adds Nadia.
“All funds will go towards Slav’s medical help and any remaining funds will go towards helping another child with cancer and their families”.
Slav’s sister Michaela (23) and 15-year-old brother Vlad are also helping with fundraising efforts.
The family lived in Rush, Co Dublin for six years, and Rush Camera Club is selling local prints in Tesco, Rush, on April 28th to help the campaign.
The day before there will be a bake sale and non school uniform day in Gormanstown College in aid of Help for Slav.
While waiting for advice on the best treatment to access abroad, the family is fundraising so they are ready to go, when called for.
“We are currently awaiting for the results of the genomic tests to come back, which might help us to identify the treatment abroad,’ adds Nadia.
“Trials are available in New York or Texas, and we have been told a form of immunotherapy which is not in Ireland would be our only hope.”
Slav is fighting the cancer bravely, but his mum says side affects of the chemo, like losing his hair, are hard on her son.
“As a mother, I would never be ready for all side effects and everything that we went and are going through.
“You are never ready for that.”
More information can be found on the facebook page Help for Slav (Rhabdomyosarcoma) or anyone wishing to donate can do so at https://www.gofundme.com/ help-for-slav-rhabdomyosarcoma