‘Little Anastasia’ and her DIPG fight

·

‘Little Anastasia’ was feeling very excited about her seventh birthday, looking to spend that time with her close friends and family. However, she was instead inside a hospital, being diagnosed with an aggressive form of childhood cancer – known as DIPG.

DIPG, or diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, is a type of brain tumor found in an area of the brainstem known as the pons. The disease primarily affects children, with most diagnoses occurring between 5 and 7 years of age, also making up up 10-15 percent of all brain tumors in children.

Anastasia was hospitalised at the Children’s Oncology Hospital “Elpida”, where doctors told her parents that she was unable to receive any treatment, giving Anastasia six months to live.

Xenia and Elias, as any mother and father would do in their place, looked everywhere for similar cases to that of Anastasia. Together, they found a glimmer of hope at a clinic in Houston, Texas, with great specialisation in the disease. The parents, having conversations with patients who have succeeded, have given them immense courage for the struggle ahead.

“Everything happened in a flash and we are called to make life decisions, which is not humanly possible to make overnight,” the parents write in a fundraiser page.

“What we can say is that we will do everything for help our little Anastasia.”

Piggy banks organised by the Municipality of Pylos-Nestoros. Photo: MessiniaLive

Hearing the news of Anastasia’s condition, the mayor of the Municipality of Pylos-Nestoros, Panagiotis Karvelas, instructed that piggy banks be placed in all stores in the Municipality, as well as in schools of all levels of education.

Currently, there is still no effective treatments for DIPG, with only 10 percent of children with DIPG surviving for 2 years following their diagnosis. However, Anastasia’s parents are calling for any assistance possible to help their daughter travel to the United States and hopefully undergo this miracle treatment.

Cretan Convention - Web Banner

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

From crisis to compassion: Timos Roussos and his family’s mercy mission in war-torn Cyprus

When Turkish troops landed on Cyprus on 20 July 1974, six-year-old Timos Roussos was sitting on the floor of his family’s home in Lemesos.

A granddaughter returns: Georgia Georgiou retraces her yiayia’s occupied village in Cyprus

When Georgia Georgiou handed over her Cypriot ID at the border checkpoint to cross into occupied northern Cyprus, she felt an ache.

‘You never get over it’: A childhood shattered by the Turkish invasion of Cyprus

On a warm July morning in 1974, 10-year-old Anastasia Di Loreto (née Karatzia) was jolted awake by the sound of bombs falling on Kyrenia.

Cyprus: The paradox of tolerance and impunity for Turkey

The lack of a unified, systematic and practical strategy on the part of Greece has led the Cyprus crisis into national disarray.

Lost homes and lingering hope: Greek-Cypriots reflect on Turkish invasion and its aftermath

From hidden stories to haunting memories, two Greek-Cypriot men share what it means to carry the burden of Cyprus’ past.

You May Also Like

Greek PM reveals same-sex marriage bill, proposing no surrogacy

Greece’s Prime Minister has revealed what the government's proposed bill on legalising same-sex marriage in Greece will entail.

‘Evading the Nazi’s’ on Crete: Australian indigenous WWII hero Reg Saunders

Reg Saunders, an Australian war hero who evaded the Nazi's on Crete during WWII is the subject on the 'In Black and White' podcast.

Chrysoula Kourobylia to help referee Women’s World Cup match in Melbourne

Chryssa Kourobylia selected by FIFA to be an assistant referee for the Women's World Cup match between Canada and Nigeria in Melbourne.