“A Little Girl’s Battle Against Wilms Tumor”.1973

Marcelinka’s Fight: A Family’s Journey Through Childhood Cancer

In January 2021, our perfectly ordered world came crashing down. Our lives, once filled with simple joys and daily routines, shattered in an instant. That was the moment cancer entered our lives. Our little daughter, Marcelinka, was diagnosed with stage V Wilms’ tumors affecting both kidneys. The news hit us like a thunderbolt. Fear, disbelief, and helplessness consumed us. One moment we were celebrating the small milestones of a happy family life with our two children—our ten-year-old son Nikolas and our two-year-old Marcelinka—and the next, we were thrust into a nightmare we could never have imagined.

On January 10th, Marcelinka was admitted to the hospital with a fever. At first, we thought it was just a common illness; after all, children that age fall sick all the time. But within two days, everything changed. The diagnosis was brutal: aggressive Wilms’ tumors, and the gravity of her condition required immediate action. Just a week later, our tiny daughter underwent her first chemotherapy session. There was no time to process the shock; every moment counted, every delay could be fatal.

Marcelinka became a patient at the University Hospital’s Clinic of Pediatrics, Hematology, and Oncology in Bydgoszcz. Over the following months, she endured eight cycles of intensive chemotherapy. Each treatment weakened her little body, leaving her fatigued, apathetic, and with little appetite. Seeing her struggle to maintain the smallest spark of energy broke our hearts repeatedly. Despite the pain and discomfort, she faced each day with a bravery that inspired everyone around her.

By April, after assessing her progress, the doctors decided it was time for surgery to remove the tumors. In a preventative measure to avoid metastasis, a tumor was also removed from her lung. But the challenges continued. One of her kidneys had more damage than initially anticipated, and it became clear that chemotherapy would need to continue until June 2022. The fight was far from over.

The battle against cancer is not only physical but also financial and emotional. Marcelinka’s weakened condition requires a specialized diet to maintain her strength and prevent further complications. The cost of this diet, combined with constant hospital visits and the long journey to the clinic, adds a heavy burden to our family. To complicate matters further, the pandemic forced my husband to lose his job last December. He now takes temporary work wherever he can, while I remain on parental leave to care for Marcelinka. Soon, I may have to give up my job entirely to ensure she receives the care she needs.

Despite these challenges, we cannot give up. Every day is a fight, but Marcelinka’s resilience keeps us going. We see small victories in her progress: a better day of appetite, a moment of laughter between treatments, a spark of energy to play with her brother. Each of these moments reminds us why this fight is worth everything.

Now, thanks to the hard work of her doctors and the strength of her own spirit, Marcelinka’s condition is stable from an oncological perspective. While she still requires ongoing check-ups and specialist care, she is feeling well most days. It is a relief we never dared hope for in those early weeks of despair. But even in this improved situation, we know the journey is not over. She still needs intensive follow-up care, proper nutrition, and emotional support to continue her recovery.

Our appeal today is for help—not just for treatment, but to allow us to focus entirely on Marcelinka’s health. Every donation, every message of support, every share of her story gives us the ability to keep going. It ensures she receives the food, medication, and specialist care that are vital to her survival and recovery. The road ahead is long, but with help, we can make it a path filled with hope rather than fear.

Marcelinka has endured more than any child should ever face. She has faced pain, fear, and uncertainty with courage beyond her years. She reminds us every day of the preciousness of life and the power of love, perseverance, and faith. Her brother, Nikolas, stands by her side, bringing joy and comfort to her every day, and together, our family fights for a future in which she can grow, play, and thrive as any child should.

We are asking for your help to continue this fight. Every contribution, no matter how small, brings Marcelinka closer to a full recovery. Your support allows us to focus on her treatment, ensures she gets the nutrition and care she desperately needs, and gives her a chance to live a life filled with hope, laughter, and love.

From the moment she entered our lives, Marcelinka has been our miracle. She has shown us the meaning of courage, the strength of a child’s spirit, and the importance of community. Now, more than ever, she needs the support of compassionate people who understand that even the smallest gestures can save a life. Please, join us in this fight. Help Marcelinka continue her journey, give her the life she deserves, and let her heart beat strong, vibrant, and free.

We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your generosity, your prayers, and your belief that a little girl can survive against the odds. Together, we can make the impossible possible, and together, we can give Marcelinka the chance to flourish once again.

—Marcelinka’s Parents

372 Days of Waiting, One Moment of Joy.233

For 372 days, he had waited.

Every morning, as the sunlight filtered through the shelter windows, he would sit at the edge of his kennel and watch the world pass by. Families strolled down the rows of cages, laughing, pointing, excited. Little hands pressed against the glass for tiny puppies, children coaxing timid dogs forward with soft whispers. He wagged his tail anyway, just in case. Maybe today, someone would see him. Maybe today, someone would choose him.

But day after day, week after week, the visitors moved on. They smiled at him, patted the kennel bars, said “good boy,” but then continued down the line. They were looking for something specific—a smaller dog, a fluffier coat, a breed they’d dreamed of. And each time, he watched them leave, curling back into the corner of his kennel, ears drooping, eyes searching for a spark of hope.

Still, he never stopped hoping. Somehow, somewhere deep inside, he knew the right person would come.

One quiet afternoon, when the shelter had slowed down and the hum of fluorescent lights filled the air, a man walked in. He didn’t rush, didn’t scan the kennels with a checklist. He moved slowly, deliberately, as if he were letting the shelter itself guide him. And then he stopped. Right in front of the cage. Not a word, not a sound—just stillness.

The dog tilted his head, ears pricking up. The man knelt, letting the dog see him at eye level, letting him choose. And for the first time in what felt like forever, the dog hesitated—not in fear, but in careful consideration. Then, slowly, he stepped forward. He pressed his head into the man’s lap, sighing with a weight that had been carried for far too long. Relief, recognition, trust—all wrapped into that small gesture.

It was in that moment that the dog knew: he had been seen. Truly seen. And the man, too, understood that this wasn’t just any dog—it was the dog he had been waiting for, though he didn’t realize it until now.

By the time they left the shelter, the sun was dipping low, casting a warm glow over the parking lot. The dog looked up at the man, tail wagging with quiet joy, and took a final glance at the cold, lonely kennels that had been his world for so long. No more cold floors. No more endless days of being passed by. Just a warm bed, a name, and a best friend who had finally come.

Some things in life are worth waiting for. Some moments, no matter how long the wait, are worth every lonely day, every hopeful glance, every sigh of longing. And this—this was one of them.