Dear friends,
We are reaching out to you once again with a request for help.
At the end of 2022, Natalja approached us seeking assistance. She suffers from a rare and very severe disease called pansclerotic morphea. This young woman has had to abandon her doctoral studies due to health issues. Her days are spent painfully changing bandages, as her body is covered with non-healing ulcers. For years, she has been seeking treatment options both in Estonia and abroad.
In 2000, she was diagnosed with pansclerotic morphea. For more than 10 years, she has had ulcers on her legs, and now they have spread to her thighs, lower back, and arms. There is a constant high risk of infection (ulcers remain persistently infected). The strain of microbes in her ulcers is highly resistant and must not enter her bloodstream. In recent years, she has been using a wheelchair.
Unfortunately, there is no specific treatment for morphea. Previously, Natalja has undergone experimental treatments, which did not yield sufficient results. She has been treated in Italy, consulted with several doctors in Germany, and received treatment recommendations, which have been implemented in Estonia as much as possible. With the help of kind people, we raised funds and traveled with Natalja to Israel in 2023 to the Top Ichilov Clinic in Tel Aviv, under the care of Dr. Tal Zaal. She stayed in the hospital for two weeks. The doctor identified why the disease is so aggressive and how to help the ulcers heal. Skin and tissue samples were taken from Natalja. She received various injections and medications daily. Finally, a two-day extracorporeal photopheresis was performed.
Here, we want to thank all the donators and Sergei Astafjev, who helped Natalja so much that we could go to Israel for consultation, examination, and treatment. Thanks to all of you, things started to move forward.
Upon returning to Estonia and getting home, we discovered that the results were very good. The wounds began to heal gradually. According to Dr. Tal Zaal, to strengthen her body and fully heal the wounds, it is necessary to perform extracorporeal photopheresis twice a month for at least a year.
Her skin is extremely dry, and small ulcers constantly appear all over her body (some are superficial, while others are quite deep). Movement, sleeping, and even dressing are very difficult and painful processes for her. Even taking a shower is not like it is for a regular person, as water causes pain, and her entire body is covered with bandaged ulcers. Often, she sleeps for several nights on her knees or sitting up, as the skin on her lower back and hips is so painful and inflamed.
Since Natalja moves around the house on her knees, using knee pads, her knee joints often hurt and are ulcerated.
Dear friends, when we returned from Israel last year, the results were indeed visibly noticeable. The good news is that there is now a brand new phonophoresis device available in Tartu, Estonia. Natalja can now receive photopheresis treatment a couple of times each month. Additionally, she constantly undergoes blood transfusions and exchanges.
We believe that her condition and health are improving. Unfortunately, Natalja lacks the resources to buy vitamins, medications, bandages, disinfectants, and gels for her body.
Her monthly need for these items fluctuates and costs around 1300-3000 euros.
We believe that it is possible to help Natalja and that with regular treatment, she can get back on her feet. Natalja has been fighting this disease for over fifteen years and fully deserves for her treatment to succeed – then she could finally live a fulfilling life.
If you can support her treatment financially in any way, we are grateful for every donation.
