Hi everyone. My name is Irene and I started this page to help Lesia, a young mother of 4 children, raise money for her cancer treatment. I am also a mother who has been fighting cancer over the past year, and when I heard Lesia's story from my friends I felt the need to do something to help.

Fighting cancer in Canada, with an advanced medical system and full healthcare coverage was not an easy undertaking. For Lesia, she has to fight the same battle with limited treatment options and a huge financial burden.

I felt compelled to share her story and help to raise money for her treatment. The support I received during my illness was beyond belief. Through this gofundme page I hope to replicate and share some of that support with Lesia.

Here is her story:

Lesia is a mother of four young children from 2 to 8 years old that lives in Ukraine.

In August of 2014, Lesia had a tumour removed from her arm, followed by a course of radiation.

Not 9 months later, the tumour came back and Lesia required a second surgery.

Lesia was diagnosed with a neurosarcoma - a form of cancer that affects the connective tissue surrounding nerves in her arm.

It is now 6 months later, and Lesia is in urgent need of surgery and chemotherapy to save her life.

Up to this point, her family has covered the cost of treatment in Ukraine. However, if Lesia's family is unable to raise the funds quickly, the only option in Ukraine is to undergo a barbaric amputation of her arm to keep fighting for her life.

Fortunately, there is an option for treatment that can spare her arm that is available in Vienna, Austria. The procedure would consist of nerve, vessel and tissue transplants to restore the function of her arm.

The treatment comes at a significant expense given that the Ukranian currency has lost so much value relative to the Euro in the last two years. As a result, the surgery is about 3 times more expensive.

The overall cost of surgery and hospital stay is estimated at around 40,000 Euros. The family has raised almost half of that at the time of this post.  

Attached are copies of backup information, including a note from the doctor explaining her condition, the required treatment and the cost.  

Time is of the essence and raising this much in Ukraine is very difficult. To give some perspective, the average salary in Ukraine works out to about 1,000 Euro a year. This means it takes a lifetime of earnings to pay for this surgery.

Please help us raise the funds to see Lesia hold her kids in her arms for many years to come!

Thanks everyone for your help!