From the moment Lenka was born on August 1, 2012, she filled our lives with light. She was a happy, curious little girl, always smiling, always moving, always eager to explore the world around her. She loved to sing, to play, to laugh loudly and freely. Every day with her felt like a small miracle, and like any parent, I believed her future would be simple and bright—full of school days, friendships, scraped knees, and ordinary childhood dreams.
I never imagined how fragile that future truly was.
Our lives changed forever during what was supposed to be a routine ophthalmology appointment. We walked into the clinic expecting reassurance. Instead, the doctor looked at us with a seriousness that froze my heart and spoke words no parent is ever prepared to hear: Lenka had a malignant eye tumor.
In that instant, the world stopped.
Fear, shock, and helplessness consumed me. How could this be happening to my baby? She was still so small, still learning the world. Within days, we were transferred to the oncology ward at the Children’s Memorial Health Institute in Warsaw. Lenka was barely an infant when her fight for life began.
Chemotherapy. Surgeries. Endless hospital corridors. Beeping machines. Sleepless nights.
Despite her age, Lenka endured everything with a courage that left doctors and nurses in awe. She cried, of course—she was a child—but she also smiled through pain, reached for our hands, and trusted us completely, even when we didn’t know how to explain what was happening to her body.
As if cancer were not enough, we soon learned Lenka was also suffering from a rare genetic condition called Crouzon syndrome, which causes the skull to grow abnormally. Without urgent intervention, her brain would not have enough space to grow, leading to dangerous pressure, facial deformities, vision loss, and potentially fatal complications.
At just seven months old, Lenka underwent her first life-saving surgery—a ventriculoperitoneal shunt—to relieve dangerously high intracranial pressure. Five months later, she needed another emergency operation to treat cerebral edema. Each time, we handed our tiny child over to surgeons, praying she would wake up again.
But the challenges kept coming.
Despite receiving the best care available in Poland, Lenka continued to suffer from severe headaches, vomiting, balance problems, and vision disturbances. Further examinations revealed a Chiari malformation—a condition where part of the brain is pushed down into the spinal canal. The pressure was causing excruciating pain and threatening permanent neurological damage.
Lenka had already faced more pain before kindergarten than most people face in a lifetime.
Eventually, we were introduced to Dr. Fearon, a world-renowned specialist in Dallas with decades of experience treating children with complex craniofacial conditions. Under his care, Lenka underwent another critical surgery to relieve the pressure on her brain and spinal cord. That operation saved her life once again. Slowly, she began to breathe easier. She regained strength. She kept going.
And through it all, Lenka remained Lenka.
She learned to help herself. She understood more than any child should have to understand. She showed empathy, patience, and kindness far beyond her years. Even in pain, she smiled at nurses. Even when exhausted, she found the strength to comfort others.
Now, at just six years old, Lenka faces the most important surgery of her life: Le Fort III reconstruction. This complex operation will correct her facial structure, prevent life-threatening sleep apnea, protect her vision from permanent damage, and give her a chance to live a more normal life.
But this surgery must be performed by the world’s top specialists—and the cost is overwhelming. More than $80,000, not including travel, medical transport, rehabilitation, and post-operative care. Despite doing everything we can, these costs are beyond our reach.
As her mother, there is nothing more painful than knowing what your child needs to survive—and not knowing how to pay for it.
Every day is filled with fear and hope. Fear of what could happen if we fail. Hope that kindness still exists in the world. Hope that Lenka’s story will reach someone who can help.
Lenka has already beaten impossible odds. She has survived cancer. She has endured surgeries that most adults would not survive. She has shown strength, grace, and courage beyond her years.
She is our miracle. Our fighter. Our reason to keep believing.
Now, we are asking for help—not because we want to, but because we must. Every donation, every share, every act of kindness brings Lenka closer to a future without constant pain and fear. A future where she can grow, learn, play, and dream like every child deserves.
Please help us give Lenka the chance to live.
Her light is too bright to fade now. 💛
