Mom Shares How War Delayed Her Child’s Cancer Treatment

In January 2022, Natalia Kretsul found out that her son Bohdan’s neuroblastoma had come back. Bohdan, then 8, started treatment again in Lviv. He had 1 round of chemotherapy. Then, Russia escalated its invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.

When war broke out, families from eastern and central Ukraine sought shelter in Lviv, a large city in the far west of the country. It was the farthest major city from the fighting.

Yet Lviv was still a target of many Russian missile attacks. Bohdan needed surgery. But his doctor said it was too risky because of the air strikes.

“The doctor said surgery would not be an option because of the war actions,” Natalia says. “The doctor said he could lose the life of a child, not to the cancer, but to the war.”

It is hard for Natalia to describe how she felt when the doctor told her Bohdan could not have surgery. “It was a mixture of pain, anger, and sadness,” she says.

How war affected children in the hospital

Natalia not only faced the stress of having a very sick child, but she also had to deal with life during a war. When attack sirens went off, parents and children, including the sickest patients, hurried to the hospital’s basement for safety.

“Our windows were shaken all the time during the bombings,” Natalia says. “I was even thinking that the building would not be able to withstand all of that.”

After the Russian invasion, hospitals, foundations, governments, and other organizations across North America and the European Union came together to form SAFER Ukraine, an effort that worked to ensure safe passage of Ukrainian children with cancer in need of treatment abroad.  

Bohdan and Natalia were evacuated to the Unicorn Marian Wilemski Center in Poland. From there, doctors and nurses from the Polish Society for Pediatric Hematology-Oncology evaluated children and referred patients to countries that had facilities that could meet their medical needs.

“At the very beginning, my doctor offered us evacuation,” Natalia says. “He told me I must go abroad. I must leave Ukraine to ensure uninterrupted medical care for Bohdan.”

At the time, Bohdan’s father was in Poland working. Decisions had to be made quickly.

Natalia also has 3 daughters. Bohdan is her youngest child. He is a loving, active boy who was used to having his sisters around. Natalia would have to leave her daughters and husband behind and travel to a new country with Bohdan to get him the lifesaving treatment he needed. 

Traveling thousands of miles to save Bohdan

One evening in Poland, a doctor recommended that Natalia and Bohdan go to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in the United States. Natalia and Bohdan traveled thousands of miles to get there. They knew no one.

While Natalia is happy that Bohdan is getting excellent medical care, she misses her family and her country. And she worries about the effect the war will have on children.

“One of the major issues is the mental health of the children because they are the ones who were affected most,” Natalia says. “Whenever you're listening to TV news, there is always violence. There is always somebody killed. There is always some type of death.”

Bohdan continues to have treatment at St. Jude. His doctor, Sara Federico, MD, says it is hard to imagine what the family has been through. She wonders about the effect of the stress and the environment of war.

Federico remembers the family proudly sharing a video of Bohdan performing at a school event. Bohdan told his care team about the traditional dance performance.

“Then he said, ‘You know the best part of it? We didn’t have to go to the basement during the performance.’ Here’s a kiddo that was so grateful they got to finish their performance without being disrupted by an air strike,” Federico says.

Study shows effects of war on children with cancer

More than half of children with cancer live in countries involved in armed conflicts, according to a recent study led by St. Jude, Duke University, and others. The findings also showed that almost 6 in 10 (60%) of childhood cancer deaths occur in these countries.

In these places, people may not have access to medical services, including cancer diagnosis and treatment. Conflicts damage and destroy hospitals and displace care providers. Medicines may be hard to find.

“In areas affected by conflict, diagnosis and treatment may be delayed, increasing the risk that children may not survive cancer,” says the study’s co-senior author, Asya Agulnik, MD, MPH, St. Jude Global Critical Care Program director. “Survival rates differ greatly because of these disruptions.”

The study calls on the health care community to help areas affected by conflict and instability. This support includes training local providers and working with the larger medical community.

“This research shows that the global medical community must work together to address this challenge,” Agulnik says. “One center cannot solve this problem. It requires expertise from various sources, particularly from those on the ground.”

Family’s hopes for the future

Bohdan continues to receive treatment at St. Jude in Memphis. He and Natalia have not been back to Ukraine because Bohdan requires ongoing care. While she misses the rest of the family, Natalia is thankful that Bohdan is getting the lifesaving care he needs.

“Our plan and cherished desire for the future is for Bohdan to stay healthy,” Natalia says. “We also dream about peace in Ukraine and hope to return to a safe country without war. We hope for peace in the world.”