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The Comision for Children Protection, Suceava
county, in a meeting on Sep 16, 2003 estabilished:
“Andrei Constantin Oniciuc son of Viorel and
Mariana Oniciuc, born on May 21, 1990 in Siret city, Suceava county,
with residence in Zamostea village, Suceava county, is declared 1st
grade handicapped with companion…”
This is the beginning of Andrei’s story, a
case in a file, a child who is fighting for his life.
In the files of the forth pediatric oncology
section of the Children Hospital St. Maria, Iasi city Andrei is
diagnosed with osteosarcoma in left fibula, also named bone cancer.
After 6 surgeries, unbearable pain, months lost on the hospital beds,
torment, tears and suffering Andrei lost his leg just above the knee to
stop the disease. Now seriously handicapped, his life means staying
between four walls in a small, poor room.
Initially a family with a nice farm, land and a
small store in a village, now they don’t have anything left to
sell to help their son get well. Their only income is child support
from the state, which is around $4.00 a day – for a family of 7.
In spite of poverty, the family remained united and the partents refuse
to give up hoping.
Each month a significant amount of the income is
spent because Andrei has to stay 3 days in the hospital for
chemotherapy. The remaining money is not enough for food.
The house, where they live now, has two rooms and
a hall. The first room, where once the store was, does not have
heating, so they all have to sleep in one room. In the summer the first
room is furnished for Andrei, where he can sleep undisturbed.
Andrei would need a prosthesis which is about
$1,700 and they have around $670. A humanitarian foundation promised
them to pay the rest of the money. Unfortunately this prosthesis is
just temporary; it can be used until he reaches 18 years, when he need
a permanent one.
The people from the village used to help them, as
much as they can. Before Easter a kind-hearted teacher visited them
with a car full with clothes, food and toys. After he left, the father
called the professor, crying, he said that his children are dancing in
the house with the clothes and toys in their hands. They could not
believe that they will have clothes and food for the Eastern…
Andrei would need healthy food, leg prosthesis, an
adequate medical care, clothes… for us small things, but for him
is a hope for life.
Andrei will never be an ordinary teenager who can
play basketball or soccer in the high school’s yard, he will
never be like other healthy children, yet he has the chance of living.
We can give him that chance. He and his parents do not have any
resource left.
Let’s give him a hand, a hope…
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