**SERHIY REQUIRES BOTH REGULAR AND MEDICAL SPONSORSHIP**
Dear sponsor,
My name is Serhiy, and I am 11 years old. I’m in the fifth grade. I really like learning and studying, even though it can be hard for me sometimes. I have trouble remembering letters, so schoolwork isn’t always easy, but I have many friends who help me. My favourite subject is math because I love counting.
I have diabetes, so I often have to stay in the hospital. I always need to watch what I eat, count bread units, and figure out how much insulin I need.
Even with all of this, I try not to be sad. I like spending time with my friends, playing football, and riding my bike. I’m very active. At home, I always do my chores like taking out the trash, making my bed, and cleaning my room. I also help my mom by carrying groceries and cleaning vegetables for dinner.
I have two older sisters, Ksenia (13) and Victoria (12). I love them very much. They always take care of me. Every Saturday, I go to our small church. It’s very interesting there, and we have lots of activities. The pastor tells us about God and how much He loves us.
My parents work very hard, and things are not easy for our family right now. This year, my grandfather passed away, and it was the hardest thing that has ever happened to me. Later, my grandmother passed away too because she missed him so much. I loved them both very much, and I am still very sad. Now I try to help my mom even more. I believe everything will be okay. God will not leave us.
With gratitude,
Serhiy
Caseworker’s Report:
Meet Serhiy, a gentle and loving 11‑year‑old boy whose bright spirit shines despite the challenges he faces every day. He loves going for walks with his family, playing soccer with friends when he feels well enough, and exploring the world with the curiosity only a child can hold. But Serhiy’s childhood is far from simple — he lives with type 1 diabetes and dyslexia, conditions that require constant care, medical attention, and support his parents struggle to afford. Even with these obstacles, he remains active, eager to learn, full of questions, and determined to do his best at home and at school. He can be a little stubborn at times, like many children his age, but he listens, tries hard, and follows the guidance of the parents he loves so deeply. Serhiy is a child who is fighting for a fair chance at a healthy, hopeful future — and his family is doing everything they can, but they cannot do it alone.
For years, the local church has walked alongside this family, watching their three children grow up through Saturday programs, where staff and volunteers have come to know them well. Behind their smiles, however, lies a story of quiet hardship. Kristina, their mother, lost her first husband only a year ago, a loss that still weighs heavily on the family. Her current husband, Oleg, now lovingly raises all three children as their stepfather, doing his best to provide stability in a life that has been anything but easy.
Each of the children faces serious health challenges that require constant care and financial resources the family simply does not have. Serhiy, the youngest, lives with dyslexia and type 1 diabetes, conditions that demand regular medical check-ups, insulin, supplies, and occasional hospital stays. Much of the family’s income goes toward keeping him healthy. His sister Ksenia battles second-degree myopathy and bronchial asthma, both requiring ongoing treatment and monitoring. Victoria, the middle child, has astigmatism and needs regular specialist visits. Every child in this home carries a medical burden far too heavy for their young shoulders.
Kristina, the mother, works long hours at a sewing factory, earning about the minimum salary a month, while Oleg works physically demanding shifts as a loader. His late hours mean the family rarely has time together. After paying rent and utilities — which can reach over $400 in the winter — the family is left with barely enough to cover food, let alone the medical needs of three children. They live with extreme frugality, doing everything they can to stretch what little they have.
Their rented apartment is in deplorable condition. Only the hallway has been renovated in recent years. The bathroom has missing tiles, cracked walls, and worn-out furniture. The other rooms are old and deteriorating. All three children share one small, overcrowded room — two on beds, one on a mattress on the floor. There is no space, no comfort, and no possibility of repairs with their limited income.
This family is doing everything in their power to survive, but the weight they carry is simply too great. With ongoing medical needs, unstable living conditions, and financial strain that leaves no room for emergencies, they urgently need support. Assistance from the HART’s Child Sponsorship Program would not only provide essential medical care and better living conditions — it would give these children the chance to grow, learn, and dream without the constant shadow of hardship.
They are a family fighting every day to hold on to hope. Your support could be the lifeline that changes their future.
