Access to healthcare helps girl fight blood cancer
Liana, 19, is battling blood cancer. She was recently diagnosed, after her mother passed away in February this year. After the farewell ceremony, Liana was sick, couldn't stand on her feet, was very dizzy and pale. Her father Hrayr, 42, was very worried for Liana. He lost his wife and had to take care of their three children. So he took Liana to the local hospital. The various tests didn't give result, and even provided an incorrect diagnosis, making the family worried and hopeless. After a while the family's social worker visited Liana, who also takes care for her brother Karen, 16, and Mari, 5.
"I remember the tense situation in the family: they were still mourning the loss of their beloved mother, then the eldest child gets unknown disease," shared Mrs. Gayane, social worker of the family, adding, "I suggested that they go to the capital city, where health services are more professional. But they didn't have means to cross the 230 kilometers, moreover pay the stay and treatment costs."
The social worker contacted the local World Vision health expert and asked for support and advice. With the support of World Vision Sisian Area Development Program, Hrayr takes Liana to the capital city. Here they find out that Liana has a blood cancer and accumulations in uterus. Liana stays in hospital for a month under the supervision of doctors.
"I’m not afraid anymore to see my blood. I got used to everything in the hospital. The CT scans, blood taking processes, even the devilish pain after the lung puncture seems like a normal thing to me,” shares Liana looking somewhere far in the corner of the room.
The small house the family lives in has nothing inside but a sofa, a table, a wood-burning oven and a small nightstand with the photo of the mother next to flowers and candles.
"I like Liana and her family very much. They have nothing but dignity and care to each other. World Vision is always standing next to the families in need. We support Liana with big honor, since she is a bright child and has bright siblings,” shares Gayane Markosyan, World Vision Armenia Sisian Area Development Program Specialist.
With the ongoing support of World Vision and the community social worker Hrayr found a job of as a guard in the military station near their community. World Vision arranged to include the family in the vulnerable families list in the community municipality, so that Mari can attend the local kindergarten without any fee.
The stay in hospital, the continuous treatments and transportation costs were around $900 US. Liana carefully collected all the invoices and papers from the hospital as the last proof that she will get healthy.
"I used to dream a lot before. This year many things changed. The only thing I want now is to be healthy to take care about Mari and Karen. I don’t have any dreams. Not anymore,” says Liana.
There’s a long path that Liana and her family had to take, and World Vision, local municipality and community social worker are helping hand for this family.