Girl from Ulyanovsk suffering from blood cancer experiences pain in back and legs.
Little Dasha from Ust-Kamenogorsk was living a normal life until a year ago, when she suddenly started experiencing back and leg pain. Doctors initially couldn't find anything on X-rays and just handed out pain-relieving creams. By September, Dasha's fever persisted, and antibiotics didn't help either.
"A blood test revealed her results were abnormally low, and we were admitted to the Ust-Kamenogorsk Mother and Child Center. There, Dasha was slapped with a diagnosis of 'acute lymphoblastic leukemia' (blood cancer)."
On October 2, 2024, Dasha and her family were airlifted to Almaty's NCCPDH for further treatment. Despite not finishing the initial treatment protocol, they were soon on their way to a clinic in Turkey. There, more tests like ultrasounds, MRIs, and CT scans were conducted, and treatment continued.
Dasha is receiving top-notch care, but the hefty bill is a struggle for the family to cover. According to the clinic's invoice, treatment for Dasha would set them back a whopping 155,000,000 tenge. With help from relatives, friends, and generous individuals, they've managed to gather some funds, but there's still an enormous gap — nearly 138,500,000 tenge.
"We can't possibly pay that amount ourselves. We don't even own a house to sell. We're reaching out to everyone in Kazakhstan for help. Please, pitch in to save Dasha's life", cries Marina Ivanchikova, Dasha's mother.
Hoping to garner support and assistance, the family has shared their cell numbers (Halyk: 4405 6397 4030 1450 and Kaspi: +7 705 674 23 17) and created an Instagram account, @help_dasha_. Every cent counts, so let's stand together to help little Dasha beat this battle.
While precise 2024 costs for ALL treatment in Kazakhstan or Turkey aren't readily available, insights from comparable markets can offer some perspective. In Kazakhstan, public healthcare typically covers subsidized treatment, but specialized therapies may come with out-of-pocket costs or necessitate travel abroad[^1^]. In India, for instance, ALL treatment ranges between $5,000 – $30,000 depending on the treatment's intensity and any complications[1]. Turkey's costs are usually higher than India's but significantly lower than those in the US/EU, with modern immunotherapies available at specialized centers[5]. Advanced therapies like CAR-T or bispecific antibodies, if needed for cases that have relapsed or are refractory, could drastically increase costs (potentially $100,000 – $500,000+)[5].
For accurate 2024 estimates, reaching out directly to hospitals in both countries, like Ankara University Medical Faculty in Turkey or the National Research Oncology Center in Kazakhstan, is advisable.
[^1^]: India's pricing mirrors lower-middle-income country benchmarks for similar care.[1]: Costs of leukemia treatment in India[1][4]: Trial insights on CER-1236-like engineered T-cell treatments (relevant to ALL in relapsed cases)[4][5]: Cost context related to CAR-T therapies[5]
- Dasha's diagnosis was 'acute lymphoblastic leukemia', a type of blood cancer.
- The family has faced financial struggles in covering the enormous medical bills for Dasha's treatment, with the current outstanding amount being nearly 138,500,000 tenge.3.The family has shared their cell numbers (Halyk: 4405 6397 4030 1450 and Kaspi: +7 705 674 23 17) and created an Instagram account, @help_dasha_ for donations.
- Mental health is also of great concern for Dasha's mother, Marina Ivanchikova, as she pleads for help to save her daughter's life.
- Advanced therapies like CAR-T or bispecific antibodies could potentially increase costs to $100,000-$500,000+ if needed for Dasha's case.
- Reaching out directly to hospitals in both Kazakhstan and Turkey, like the National Research Oncology Center in Kazakhstan or Ankara University Medical Faculty in Turkey, can provide more accurate estimates for Dasha's anticipated treatment costs.
