Help Cancer Patients Find Bone Marrow Donors!

Ten-year-old Nugman from Kazakhstan has been diagnosed with a rare and life-threatening genetic condition — congenital dyskeratosis. This is a genetic disorder that some children are born with, and it is often passed down within families.  Around age 10, children start showing symptoms like skin discoloration and small or missing fingernails. Bone marrow failure and cancer are common complications in this condition.

In Nugman's case, it caused him to  develop pancytopenia - blood disorder characterized by a dangerous reduction in all three major blood cell types (red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets), leading to anemia, infection risk, and bleeding.  Previously, Nugman underwent a bone marrow transplant from his father.  Unfortunately, the transplant was unsuccessful due to graft failure.  His condition has now become critical, and he is fully dependent on regular blood and platelet transfusions to stay alive.

The doctors are urgently recommending a second bone marrow transplant from an unrelated donor.  The family reached out to a hospital in Turkey, and they responded with great news:  the search for bone marrow donors in the Turkish donor database resulted in a 100% match, and the donor is available for the transplant.  This treatment is Nugman's only chance for survival.

However, the total cost of the treatment for a foreign patient is $105,500.  This amount is completely beyond Nugman's parents' financial means and they are urgently raising funds to afford treatment.  Please consider supporting Nugman in his fight for his life.  

We really appreciate your support for patients who need bone marrow transplants from donors to have a chance to live.  Finding a matching donor means getting a chance to defeat the odds stacked against you.  But financial problems often arise and threaten accessibility of this lifesaving procedure. 

Thank you so much for staying with our project and supporting patients like Nugman! 

Five year old Karakat is facing her second battle with cancer. Three years ago, she was diagnosed with leukemia for the first time. After the long treatment in her home country of Kazakhstan, her parents finally brought her home. it seemed all was well and the worst was left behind.

Unfortunately, last October Karakat’s blood counts suddenly dropped and she was diagnosed with a recurrence of leukemia. Relapsed leukemia is much more difficult to treat, and the local doctors weren’t able to get Karakat into remission this time. Her parents urgently searched for the hospitals abroad that would be able to offer more effective treatment options. They found a hospital in Turkey that accepted Karakat for treatment. 

Once Karakat achieves remission, bone marrow transplant from a donor will be required to sustain it.  It is a risky procedure,  and recovery and follow-up care have to be managed very carefully, but it may be the only way to beat leukemia.  Karakat's parents are hopeful that she now has that chance.  

For now, they are doing their best to raise money to afford treatment for their daughter. With Karakat’s three older siblings left behind in Kazakhstan, and her mom unable to work, the family is struggling financially.  They were very grateful to all our donors who enabled us to provide Karakat with support. 

With 2025 coming to an end, you still have a few days to make a tax-deductible donation this year.   Please consider signing up for a recurring donation to allow us provide support to patients year-round. Any amount will be much appreciated,

We would like to thank everyone who supported patients like Karakat this year!  Happy holidays and all the best wishes to you in the New Year!