When It’s Important to Continue Treatment Every Day

Anastasia lives in the Kazankivska community in the Mykolaiv region with her husband Serhiy and their six children. The couple has been married for 15 years. The family’s life is filled with many familiar daily routines: the children’s schooling, household chores, shopping, plans for the new school year—and among them, Anastasia’s daily treatment. 

Anastasia has a disability and is undergoing treatment for cancer. Due to the progression of her illness, she requires regular medical care and medication. Treatment has become a constant part of her daily life and requires not only time and effort but also significant financial expenses.

Anastasia is surrounded by her large family. Her eldest daughter, Sofia, is 14 years old. This year, she is entering high school and is already thinking about her future education. Svitlana is 12, Slavik is 10, and Viktoria is 8. Five-year-old Valeria is getting ready to start school for the first time, and the youngest, Inna, is three.

The children have their own interests and hobbies. One of the daughters, for example, attends a hiking club, spends a lot of time outdoors, and is learning new skills. As always, the family talks about school, the children’s plans, and daily life.

While Anastasia is undergoing treatment, Sergey takes on a significant portion of the household chores and caring for the children. He himself grew up in a large family with five brothers and two sisters, so he is well acquainted with the rhythm of life in which there are always many different needs and tasks to juggle at once.

In addition to the usual expenses of a large family, there are now costs associated with Anastasia’s treatment. The family budget must cover food, clothing, education, and other needs of the children while also ensuring the purchase of necessary medications.

Through the “Women’s Health” project, Anastasia received financial assistance, which the family used to purchase medications. This helped cover part of the cost of the medications needed to continue her treatment.

In addition to the usual expenses of a large family, there are now costs associated with Anastasia’s treatment. The family budget must cover food, clothing, education, and other needs of the children while also ensuring the purchase of necessary medications.

Treatment is an important part of her life today, but not the only one. Her family, caring for her children, their education, daily decisions, and plans all remain a priority. And the ability to obtain the necessary medications helps Anastasia continue her treatment without having to postpone it due to financial burdens.

The assistance was provided as part of the “Women’s Health” project, implemented by the National Assembly of People with Disabilities of Ukraine with the support of and in partnership with the Norwegian Federation for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Atlas Alliance.

Oleksandra Perkova, Communications Manager of the Project