Dear Sponsor,
My name is Iryna, and I am a mother of five children. Mykola was born on June 27, 2016, and has nodular erythema. He is under a cardio rheumatologist’s supervision. I am raising my children myself, as I divorced my husband two years ago because he drank alcohol a lot and abused me and my children. He beat me when I was pregnant with Dmytro. He doesn’t raise his children and doesn’t set a good example for them. I am going to tell you a bit about my son Mykola. He was born a healthy child but developed joint complications after a cold. He was diagnosed with erythema nodosum and spent 3 weeks in the hospital taking antibiotics. The doctors say that he needs to be under treatment, and he won’t go to the first grade because of his health, although he would have to at this age. He loves playing with cars, Lego and watching cartoons. He also loves his siblings and is an obedient child. Mykola always puts his toys in their places. He loves sweets, sorrel soup, and potatoes. I also have health problems: deafness in the left ear and varicose veins. We live in a block of apartments. We are really worried about the war in Ukraine. We have to hide in the bomb shelter near our house when we hear air-raid sirens. All of these events have a bad impact on children’s minds. We pray for the war to end as soon as possible and for our victory to come. Dear Sponsor, I would be truly thankful for your help and support for Mykola. We have a very poor financial state, as I often cannot afford to buy the basic things my children need, as I have to spend a lot of money on the medical treatment of Mariia and Mykola. I do hope that you won’t refuse.
With respect,
Iryna, Mykola’s mother
Caseworker’s comments:
Mykola, despite experiencing pain in his joints, frequent colds, and undergoing constant medical treatment, always maintains a cheerful disposition and wears a smile. He holds deep affection for his family and cherishes his friendships, often taking walks with his friends. Whenever his fingers are not causing him discomfort, Mykola engages in play with LEGO and expresses his creativity through drawing. However, he becomes fearful when air-raid sirens blare or during power outages. Following a viral infection, he experienced complications and was subsequently diagnosed with erythema nodosum. He has been hospitalized numerous times, suffers from leg pain, struggles with mobility, and requires ongoing medical treatment.
The family Mykola belongs to faces significant financial challenges, as they fall within the low-income bracket. The children are primarily raised by their mother and grandmother. Two years ago, their mother made the courageous decision to divorce their father due to his excessive alcohol consumption, physical abuse, unemployment, and neglect of his parental responsibilities. The children suffered emotional breakdowns as a result of their father’s behavior. The mother is unable to work as she attends to the care of her disabled child, Mariia, and receives a government allowance. Additionally, she faces her own health issues, having a head injury that necessitated the insertion of a plate and causing hearing loss in her left ear.
Unfortunately, Mykola himself has not been able to attend school due to health concerns. The children hold deep love and appreciation for their mother and grandmother, with the latter maintaining employment. The family actively participates in the Orthodox Church, engaging in communal Bible readings and instilling values of politeness, honesty, and fairness within their children. The children harbor a profound fear of air-raid sirens and seek refuge in bomb shelters whenever they sound. The family’s financial situation is extremely challenging, with a meager monthly income.
The family resides on the fifth floor of an apartment building in a two-room flat, furnished with old furniture and bunk beds. The small kitchen necessitates mealtime in two shifts due to limited seating space. They fervently pray for an end to the war. Mykola and his family are in desperate need of support.