non-reimbursed treatment, supplements, diet, supportive treatment

I live in Białystok, I am a fulfilled mother of three wonderful daughters, and for 10 years I have been a volunteer of Szlachetna Paczka, a member of Caritas, the Rodzin na Plus Association, and the Szansa dla Niewidomych foundation. I help because it gives me satisfaction, meaning in life and energy to act.

Although it wasn't always like this...

For as long as I can remember, I have been an energetic person. I liked being active, working, doing things. I graduated from the school of dental prosthetics, I worked as a graphic designer, a journalist, I published newspapers, it seemed that I would find professional fulfillment through my classes.

The situation changed when I became pregnant. I decided that it was more important for me to have contact with my daughters, be with them, support them and participate in their lives. They gave me great happiness and are still the most important thing in the world to me! However, somewhere subconsciously I felt that I had stopped developing. When the girls became independent, I felt unnecessary, I lost energy and enthusiasm. My husband earned money, we had no problems, and I... was sad. Life stopped making me happy. I had a skiing accident, which left me immobilized for a long time, I gained weight and had difficulty moving, which deepened my poor mental state. I fell into depression. It's hard to say, but... I just felt like a nobody. No job, no motivation, unnecessary, unattractive. I cried for almost two years and tried to seek help from psychiatrists, but in vain.

I accidentally found an advertisement for volunteers for Szlachetna Paczka. I volunteered, I was the oldest volunteer in our area at that time, but I set off with great determination and commitment, as if my life depended on it. As it turned out later, I actually cared :) Contact with families in difficult life situations made me realize what tragedies people have to face every day. I can safely say that he healed me. I gained perspective and saw what kind of life I really lead. I saw and appreciated everything I have. Suicidal thoughts disappeared, energy, happiness and joy returned. I felt a mission, I felt that I want to help for the rest of my life, as long as possible!!

I've been helping for 10 years :) without a break. I didn't stop, even when 2 years ago I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Within a week I had ascites, I looked like a balloon, but I still went to see families and people who needed help. The cancer was growing exceptionally quickly in my body. Four months after the last visit to the gynecologist were enough for the disease to reach a very advanced stage. It turned out that many of my organs were affected by cancer, and I underwent a complicated surgery during which I managed to successfully eliminate as many as 90% lesions. For the rest, I took chemotherapy and a drug called Avastin, which turned out to be, in my case, extremely effective. After 20 months after chemotherapy, I have no changes, but the latest tests indicate an increase in tumor markers... the disease may return in a year or two. In order to delay the recurrence of the disease and make it more difficult for cancer cells to grow, the doctor suggested using Avastin (which worked so well for me) at my own expense, because it is no longer possible to reimburse this drug.

Unfortunately each dose is a huge cost - over PLN 4,500, plus the cost of supplements and treatments – this is a huge financial burden, a I should take the medicine every 3 weeks.

Helping others saved my life once - and I know it will save my life now too. Despite being sick and tired, I help because I feel that good things will come back to me! So that I can help further and even longer.

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