Fire near Warsaw: A Ukrainian family raising a child with cerebral palsy was affected

Fire near Warsaw: A Ukrainian family raising a child with cerebral palsy was affected

In the city of Ząbki, near Warsaw, a large fire occurred, affecting a Ukrainian family raising a seriously ill daughter. Young Yana has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy since early childhood, and later epilepsy was discovered, during which she experiences breathing stoppages during seizures.

Yana is completely dependent on regular care: she cannot speak, walk, eat independently, and requires specialized medical equipment to support her life and monitor her health.

During the fire, the family managed to run outside only in their home clothes, leaving all their belongings, documents, and medical equipment in the apartment. The part of the home where Yana was located was damaged the most. A wheelchair, pulse oximeter, inhaler, and an oxygen concentrator worth about 1.5-2 thousand zlotys were destroyed. Medical documents, personal documents of the parents, and the girl’s birth certificate have disappeared.

For now, the family is temporarily living in a center that Yana attends, but this is only a short-term solution. They urgently need new housing that can be equipped to meet the child’s needs. The family needs medication, medical equipment, clothing, and means for renting housing and further treatment. The authorities have yet to announce whether the family can expect assistance from the city or social services.

Meanwhile, Yana is in the intensive care unit, fighting for her life. Her condition recently worsened sharply due to a severe bacterial infection that caused the accumulation of thick mucus in her airways. Doctors were forced to perform a tracheotomy. After discharge, the girl will need a medical suction device to remove mucus from her lungs and an oxygen concentrator, and in the future, she will need to undergo costly rehabilitation necessary to maintain even minimal mobility.

Yana’s mother acknowledges that she is unable to cover all the expenses on her own and fears that lack of funds may hinder her daughter’s treatment. The family has opened a fundraising campaign.