THE 2022 IMPACT REPORT FROM GIFT OF LIFE
All of us at the Gift of Life Foundation are beyond grateful for your continued support. It means so much to the children with oncological, haematological and immunological diseases who benefit from the Gift of Life’s programmes every year.
This year has been particularly tough. Only with your generous gifts the charity managed to sustain its programme work and to continue providing the most modern and effective treatment for young patients of paediatric cancer clinics in Russia.
During 2022, 21 children received Gift of Life’s support. The foundation approved 26 applications to pay for rare and expensive medications and to cover the costs of the most up-to-date, internationally recognised guides on certain types of childhood cancer. Our programme costs for these expenses exceeded £284,321. We could never have achieved this result without you standing by our side. Huge thanks for making this incredible impact!
With great pleasure we are sharing with you the stories of some of the children we have helped together during this difficult year.
Valeria, 7 years old
Valeria dreams of growing up to be a vet – quite a mature decision for a seven-year-old. Her mum admitted that even though the acute lymphoblastic leukaemia treatment was painful, Valeria dealt with it bravely and in a very grown-up way. Almost a year ago Gift of Life paid for Valeria’s post-transplant therapy. To cope with a serious liver disorder, Valeria needed an expensive drug, Defitelio, at a cost of £29,010. With your help, Valeria received her treatment and went into remission.
Nikolay, 11 year old 
Although Nikolay has had very complicated treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, nothing could ruin his positive spirit. When a high-dose chemotherapy failed to lead to remission, Nikolay received a bone marrow transplant. As part of conditioning therapy before the transplant was performed in February, Gift of Life paid £7,202 for a course of Tepadina for Nikolay. This treatment has facilitated the transplantation and maximised Nikolay’s chances of remission.
Sviatoslav, 7 years old
This summer Gift of Life provided Sviatoslav, a patient with neuroblastoma, with MIBG-therapy using radioactive iodine. Higher-dose Iodine-131 is unavailable in Russia and must be ordered from abroad. The cost of the drug was £12,412, and we paid for it with your support. Sviatoslav has been fighting cancer like a hero without questioning any prescribed procedures, even the painful ones. In September, Sviatoslav was fit enough to start school and showed an interest in maths.
Vagif, 3 years old 
Our little patient Vagif has a dream of becoming a doctor. Since August 2021, when Vagif was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, he has got used to the hospital environment. The tumour formed in Vagif’s abdomen and was very resistant to standard treatment. The only chance for Vagif to stay alive was MIBG-therapy with Iodine-131. The radioisotope of iodine for this treatment cost £12,084, a price Vagif’s family could not afford. Thanks to your help, Gift of Life managed to cover the costs of this life-saving therapy for Vagif.
Inna, 3 years old
Inna had a recurrence of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in December 2021. Her only chance of beating cancer was bone marrow transplantation. This May Inna received a transplant from her older brother. To address a serious post-transplant liver disorder, Inna was prescribed an expensive medication, Defitelio, unavailable in Russia. A full course of this drug at a cost of £43,435 was paid for by Gift of Life thanks to your support. In August Inna was discharged home and reunited with her family.
These children and many other patients of Gift of Life survive and thrive only because of your generous support. Thank you so much for continuing to help and giving the most precious gift – the gift of life!
In 2022
21 children and young people fighting cancer and serious blood diseases benefited from the Gift of Life programmes and received a chance of survival.
£284,321 was spent by the charity on purchasing foreign medication and supporting a Professional Development / Educational programme for Russian doctors who will be able to save more lives.
£10,823 covered the expenses of the Educational programme including translation and adaptation into Russian of three internationally recognised manuals on cancer diagnoses published by National Comprehensive Cancer Network, USA and a registration fee for one cancer specialist to attend the online European Congress of Radiology which took place in March.
£273,498 paid for the most modern, rare and expensive medications including:
- 2 packs of Tepadina used as a preparative treatment before bone marrow transplantation,
- 33 packs of Defitelio, a low toxic and very effective drug supporting liver function after transplantation,
- 90 vials of anti-viral drug Foscavir to treat severe viral infections in a post-transplant period,
- 7 doses of radioactive iodine where each single does helps to perform MIBG-therapy treatment for one patient.
Eleven years of saving young lives
Since 2011, Gift of Life has achieved some amazing results thanks to your help.
£8,317,916 has been invested in medical treatment and non-medical support of children in our care.
526 young cancer patients have been helped thanks to Gift of Life’s support.
640 applications for vital medicine and non-medical treatment have been supported by the charity.
To continue supporting children with cancer in 2023 subscribe to monthly donations to Gift of Life HERE.