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- The magic of small things: how the September campaign "Children instead of flowers" gives hope
The magic of small things: how the September campaign "Children instead of flowers" gives hope
For more than a decade, Russian schoolchildren and their parents have been giving hope to compatriots who need support — children and young adults with serious illnesses who need palliative care. In 2025, the campaign "Children instead of flowers" will be held throughout Russia for the 11th time. The money raised will be transferred to the Vera Hospice Care Fund and the Dom with a Lighthouse Children's Hospice. Izvestia tells the stories of those who have managed to help, and those who hope for help right now.
Instead of flowers, a chance at life
Elina, 24, from Kazan, was diagnosed with type 2 spinal muscular atrophy in early childhood. This is a disease in which the signal from the spinal cord does not pass to the muscles, and they gradually weaken. Elina grew up as an ordinary child, but then her muscles began to "melt". By the age of 15, her respiratory muscles had weakened so much that she had a tracheostomy.
— I was admitted to the intensive care unit at the age of 12 due to a medical error unrelated to the diagnosis. Apart from my underlying medical condition, my life has deteriorated dramatically. I could no longer breathe on my own during sleep, and my weight dropped by ten kilograms," the girl said.
Elina got acquainted with the Vera Foundation, thanks to which she got special nutrition, without which she would not have been able to gain weight, an artificial lung ventilation device that helps her breathe at night, a portable aspirator, expensive wheelchairs and medical supplies. The foundation also provided psychological support to Elina.
Elina's name means "radiance" in translation — and this is not just a coincidence. At the age of 24, she has learned to shine even in the darkest moments. Elina loves Asian culture, writes short stories, studies languages, creates decorative scented candles and sachets — for a girl this is one of the options for a side job. Elina also has a young man. The story of Elina and Lyosha is proof that true feeling knows no barriers.
— Thanks to the "Children instead of flowers" campaign, the issue of life support has been resolved. Thanks to the foundation's help, I was even able to buy a portable aspirator, and I had the opportunity to walk outside and visit different places in the city, because if I don't clean the sputum from the bronchi in time, I can die of asphyxia," Elina shared.
Elina is sure that such an action is a salvation for many families who have special children with severe health problems.
Nine-year-old Rafael from the Rostov region also has spinal muscular atrophy. The boy began to weaken when he was not even six months old: he did not turn over on his stomach, he could not hold his head well. He had to wear a corset every day, and because of the weakness of his wrists, mastering writing in elementary school became a separate challenge, but he coped with it.
Rafael loves video games, dreams of starting his own channel and learning programming by mastering it online, and also loves animals — the family has a dog named Fluffy at home, the boy loves zoos.
Since the age of one and a half, Rafael has been a ward of the Vera Hospice Foundation. Thanks to the "Children instead of Flowers" campaign, he still rides an electric wheelchair with a bright red frame and yellow wheels, which was purchased in 2021.
— He can't imagine his life without her. He can go outside to play with the kids, go for a walk — regardless of whether we roll him or not. I move away so that he can communicate. He can also go to the store with his older sister — he has his own card," mom said.
Now Raphael is studying at school remotely. The rest of the children in the class are normotypical. Previously, the boy was very worried that the other children might ask the teacher's permission to go away and drink water during the lesson. When he got a wheelchair, his mother noticed that sometimes he asked the teacher to leave, but he didn't really want to drink, but just drove off on it and was very happy that he could do that now.
— A couple of years ago, friends from Moscow came to visit us. They have their own children and have been participating in the "Children instead of Flowers" campaign for many years. After they stayed with us and saw how much Rafael's life had changed for the better because of the wheelchair, my friend, who was staying with us, said that she had no idea how important they had done together with the other participants, and how important it was," said Rafael's mother.
Last year, for three-year-old Timofey from Krasnodar, the participants of the "Children instead of flowers" campaign collected 374 thousand rubles.
Even before birth, Timofey was diagnosed with gastroschisis, due to which the intestinal loops were located outside the abdominal cavity. During the operation, the boy had most of his intestines removed, and now he has short bowel syndrome — the body does not absorb nutrients. To make up for the shortage, Tim is connected to special ivs for 14 hours a day. He doesn't move further than three meters away from them, but that doesn't stop him from playing and cuddling Murka the cat at the same time.
Tima's main hobby is very masculine — cars. Tima watches them closely while walking, and if music is playing from the car, she will certainly point at him and dance. The love of technology is not limited to impressions: in the store, the boy demands every new car, and if he doesn't buy it, he gets very upset at first, but then he goes to swing on a swing and feed the birds.
The family would not have been able to cope without the participants in the action: the things needed to care for the boy require high costs. After the "Children instead of Flowers" campaign, Timofey's family received disposable infusion bags and syringes for collecting ivs, antiseptic for sterilization, an air sterilizer, dressing materials, a spare catheter and repair kit, and much more. This allows them to live outside the hospital.
Vera shared that she is very happy to see that many schools are joining the charity event, as she feels support for herself and her son. In addition, according to her, it is important that children learn to help others from an early age.
Give hope with help
This year, the "Children Instead of Flowers" campaign will enable the Vera Charitable Foundation and the Dom s Mayak Children's hospice to support 1,190 families. Anyone who becomes a participant in the campaign can take part in helping these families. Such assistance includes not only the purchase of necessary equipment and medical nutrition, but also the work of a multifunctional team of doctors, nurses, nannies, coordinators, lawyers and psychologists.
For example, 11-year-old Said from Kazan needs such help. His birth turned into severe trials: asphyxia, birth trauma, followed by cerebral palsy and severe epilepsy. The first year of little Said's life was a time of his desperate struggle for every breath.
Today, Said's parents are doing everything to alleviate their son's condition. According to his mother, Said is a gentle, bright boy for whom outdoor walks are a way to feel connected to life. Now Said is moving around in an old wheelchair, which he has already outgrown, which makes him uncomfortable.
The Vera Foundation has been supporting Said's family for 10 years. The foundation's lawyer helps to ensure that the new stroller is paid for using an electronic certificate, but, as a rule, it is not enough to pay the full cost.
— So far, we are focusing on the full amount of 531.7 thousand. We plan to collect it through the campaign "Children instead of flowers" — thanks to you, — said the Vera Foundation.
You can also help 11-year-old Tikhon from Sevastopol. When he was born, he didn't cry. After a few hours, the temperature rose and seizures began. Tikhon stayed in intensive care for two months. Epilepsy attacks were managed to stop, but he still does not walk on his own, does not talk, hardly holds his head, but eats and breathes through tubes in his stomach and throat.
When Tikhon is in pain or doesn't like something, he cries silently. When someone comes to visit, he smiles. Tikhon loves new people, splashes of sea water on his skin, and also the cat Luna. She was given to them five years ago, and all these years they have been sleeping together: the Moon comes and buries itself in a blanket next to them, and they both feel calm and comfortable.
Teenager Tikhon weighs 26 kilograms. His greatest joy is when his mother picks him up and takes him out of the house into the yard to swing on a folding swing: back and forth, back and forth. It's getting more and more difficult to lift him to carry him to the swing or just move him from the bed to the bathroom.
Thanks to the "Children instead of flowers" campaign, the Vera charitable Foundation hopes to purchase a special electric lift for the family for 274 thousand rubles, which will suit the boy both now and when he grows up. The lift will save mom's back, and it will allow Tikhon to move more comfortably and safely.
When Nastya from Kurgan was only four years old, the girl began to weaken, and could only walk by holding her mother's hand. The family went to Moscow and found out a disappointing diagnosis: spinal muscular atrophy. Nastya's family first applied to the Vera Foundation 10 years ago, in 2015. The fund's coordinators helped to purchase a cough suppressant and a noninvasive ventilation device, and also contacted specialists from the Institute of Pediatrics to help set up the devices — there were no specialists in Kurgan.
Now 24-year-old Nastya does not walk, but at night she breathes through a mask, the same NIVL device. Nastya is already an adult girl. She is studying to become a digital designer, designs websites and interfaces, and also enjoys reading. Nastya also sews toys and gives them to friends. She also dearly loves her two cats, Sasha and Mila.
Nastya needs a new active-type wheelchair, which she can use on her own for short distances. The electric trolley is too bulky and heavy: it is inconvenient to put it in the car and it is impossible to take it to the elevator. Because of this, when the family finds itself, for example, in the clinic, mom has to carry Nastya in her arms first, and then drag the stroller behind her.
An active wheelchair, taking into account all the specifics, costs 677 thousand rubles. The family has an electronic certificate from the state, but they can only pay half the cost. The Vera Charitable Foundation hopes to raise the remaining 366,100 thanks to the participants of the Children Instead of Flowers campaign.
Two—year-old Danila from Orenburg has a rare genetic disease, myotubular myopathy, in which proteins in muscle cells are disrupted, causing muscles to weaken.
When the newborn Daniel was placed on his mother's stomach, she did not hear her son's cry. The child was quickly transferred to the intensive care unit and connected to a ventilator. He is still connected to a ventilator and is breathing through a tracheostomy using a tube in his throat. Danya also rarely blinks, which is why he regularly needs to moisten his eyes.
Otherwise, he's an ordinary kid — he likes to watch cartoons. However, Dani's favorite toys are sensors and catheters. He lies down most of the time. Due to the disease and the constant connection to a ventilator, Dana needs a special medical bed with an electric drive that adapts to the child's characteristics and helps to adjust the body position. Such a bed costs 198,000 rubles. The Vera Charitable Foundation and the Dom with a Lighthouse children's hospice hope to raise this amount with the help of the participants of the Children Instead of Flowers campaign to help Dana — and many more children and young adults who need help right now and do not lose hope for a miracle.
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