This autumn Anton Bondarenko is again setting out on a trip.
The official start of the cycle tour took place at the Sviatopokrovsky Church of Zaporizhia, October the 5th at 10.00 a.m.
After the explosion, the church was almost ruined, so a new church is being built nearby. Before answering the questions of the many journalists present, a public prayer was held at the foundation of the new church.
Then Anton told reporters about the details of the trip and how he came up with idea of devoting his tour to saving the child’s life.
The public prayer at the foundation of the future church in the Malyj Rynok district
The cycle tour caused quite a stir in the media – numerous reporters from more than eight Ukrainian national TV channels were present for the event.
The cycle route is to pass from the western-mostpoint in Ukraine to the eastern-most point from the city Chop in the Zakarpattia region and then to the village of Chervona Zirka in the Luhansk region. All in all he will pass through 11 regions, covering a distance of 1800 km, in just 10 to 12 days.
In March 2010 he rode over 1500 km, making a pilgrimage by bicycle to the holy places of Ukraine. Today the young man plans his route so as to bring him to where he will find kind people with open hearts. Anton’s aim is to tell people about his little fellow-countryman Nikita Shepel’, who has been fighting with leukemia for nearly three years. The little boy is preparing for his final battle – the transplantation of his own stem cells. Fortunately, this surgery can be performed in Ukraine, in the OHMATDET Clinic, but unfortunately such a transplantation surgery costs around $ 30, 000 (presumably such a sum of money will cover the medication and blood donors’ checkup expense).
Time is precious in the fight against cancer, and there is little time left.
There are only three months for Nikita and his faithful ally left to win this battle. And they won’t give up without a fight!
“Open up your heart – and choose life!” – with such a slogan Anton will travel all over Ukraine, visiting cities, towns and villages telling those he meets about Nikita. The goal of this bicycle tour is to let people know that by ourselves, we are helpless against cancer but together – even with the smallest donation from a stranger to save the little kid, we can make a miracle.
“This bicycle tour is aimed at urging people to open up their hearts and look around, “ – Anton says, - “ there live little people near us who are struggling for life every day. We must regard all these children as our own! I believe that with God’s help we can help!”
The reference: Every year hundreds of little Ukrainians are diagnosed with cancer. Months, and sometimes even years of treatment cause severe financial hardship and emotional devastation– it is the price of treatment but it does not always lead to recovery. The chance to live often requires an expensive surgery, the cost of which increases ten thousand times if it is necessary to find an unrelated donor for bone marrow transplantation. And this automatically means searching for donors abroad, buying tickets to Germany, Israel, Italy or any other corner of the world, where your child can undergo surgery and get back to normal life.
Every year there are 11-12 cancer cases registered among 100, 000 Ukrainian child population (until 18 years old). And of 1,000 children suffering from cancer each year, every second child dies without receiving such vitally important help.
Anton’s achievement – his bicycle tour across the whole Ukraine in the minimum number of days will be placed in the Ukrainian Book of Records. Such a record as saving a child’s life is not to be written in letters of commendation or engraved on trophies. Such a victory is priceless.
Anton asked himself “How can my trip help the child?” - And he found an answer. If you ask yourself “How can I help here and now?” you will definitely find an answer as well and a little child will be one step closer to a healthy life.
Anton Bondarenko and the volunteers of deti.zp.ua express their heartfelt gratitude to the Keramist Corporation for all its financial support in organizing the bicycle tour. We hope that other companies will also support this bicycle tour and Nikita Shepel’.
Anton and the volunteers of the Happy Child Foundation are sure that they will manage to collect this necessary amount of money for Nikita’s treatment. The journalists who were present at the press-conference donated 1,970 UAH ($ 247,15) for the boy’s treatment and today, thanks to Anton’s campaign, the central TV channels will broadcast the reports about Nikita.
In the twinkling of an eye, a little box of the volunteer Ania Panchenko was filled with journalists’ donations, which an hour later were passed on to Nikita’s mom
May God give the doctors wisdom and may He give Nikita and his parents strength and courage so that they can conquer this illness!
The methods of donation transfer for Nikita
Please inform fund’s members about money transfer
Donation payment options (Webmoney, PayPal, I-Wallets, money transfer from Russia and so on).
For more information please contact us
Have a good trip, Anton!
