Margaryta Karpova, just 12 years old, stood soundly dressed in child-size body armor and an orange helmet as a police officer lent a hand amid heavy shelling. This was her grim reality in her village, Novoolenivka, just less than a mile from advancing Russian troops. Parting with her father, who remained behind to guard their home, felt like an unbearable and potentially final farewell. Margaryta and her mother, Liudmyla, rushed to join over a million civilians fleeing Ukraine's Donetsk region since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.
However, relocation did not bring the reprieve they hoped for. After settling temporarily in western Ukraine, Margaryta began to experience severe pain. Medical examinations soon revealed a diagnosis of cancer—rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare and aggressive form primarily affecting children. Now in Kyiv, Margaryta is engaged in a far more personal battle against this disease, even as the war continues its devastating toll on her homeland. “As I tell everyone, life has stopped,” her mother expressed, highlighting the singular focus on her daughter's survival.
Fortunately, they were able to reunite with Margaryta's father, and vital medical care is available in Kyiv, despite the recent destruction of Ukraine's largest children's hospital and pediatric cancer center by a Russian missile last July. The family holds onto hope amid the chaos, fighting not just for a future beyond the conflict, but for Margaryta's life amidst tremendous odds.
However, relocation did not bring the reprieve they hoped for. After settling temporarily in western Ukraine, Margaryta began to experience severe pain. Medical examinations soon revealed a diagnosis of cancer—rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare and aggressive form primarily affecting children. Now in Kyiv, Margaryta is engaged in a far more personal battle against this disease, even as the war continues its devastating toll on her homeland. “As I tell everyone, life has stopped,” her mother expressed, highlighting the singular focus on her daughter's survival.
Fortunately, they were able to reunite with Margaryta's father, and vital medical care is available in Kyiv, despite the recent destruction of Ukraine's largest children's hospital and pediatric cancer center by a Russian missile last July. The family holds onto hope amid the chaos, fighting not just for a future beyond the conflict, but for Margaryta's life amidst tremendous odds.
