At the end of July 2025, Zosia, a resident of a neighboring county, underwent a routine blood test. The results on the printout surprised everyone with how drastically they deviated from the normal range. There had been no symptom, no sign in the girl’s everyday behavior that could explain such profound abnormalities.
A diagnosis of thrombocytopenia was made immediately, along with the decision to urgently refer Zosia to the hospital in Lubań. From there, she was transported by medical transport to Przylądek Nadziei in Wrocław. The diagnostic process moved at dizzying speed, and each successive step brought the family closer to an answer they had not been prepared for.
At the clinic, an extended blood count was performed, further tests were conducted, and bone marrow was collected. For a brief moment, the parents held on to the hope that perhaps there had been a mistake, that something had been misread, that there was another explanation. That hope went out in a single second when the results revealed an ERCC6L2 gene mutation—a rare, unpredictable disease requiring the immediate initiation of chemotherapy.
The parents were devastated. Zosia looked and behaved like a healthy, energetic child. Tests a year earlier had shown no abnormalities. And yet now the diagnosis stood before them like an abyss opening suddenly and without warning, exposing darkness filled only with fear and questions to which there were no simple answers.
The road to a transplant
In February 2026, Zosia is due to receive a bone marrow transplant from an unrelated donor, the only chance to halt the progression of the disease and give her body an opportunity to rebuild. The ten-year-old girl now lives according to a rhythm set by visits to Przylądek Nadziei, where she returns every week for blood tests monitoring her platelet levels and her body’s overall functioning.
It is a period of constant tension, because every result answers one, but most important, question: is Zosia stable enough to safely undergo the transplant procedure.
There can be no certainty in this daily reality. There is only waiting, cautious hope, and fear accompanying them through every day of preparation.
Illness changes everything
The illness has forced changes in the lives of the entire family. Her father now works closer to home so he can accompany Zosia during treatment. Her mother takes care of the home and her ill daughter, trying to create a semblance of normality for her.
Ula, Zosia’s older sister, although she had already been living separately, returned to the family home to support her sister and parents. The other siblings also help as much as they can. This is their shared struggle, a daily effort built on love, fear, and quiet hope.
Every day is tinged with fear
Zosia suffers from hypothyroidism and insulin resistance, and now she must face a disease whose consequences no one can predict.
The family’s greatest challenge is the constant fear of what tomorrow will bring. They continually ask themselves whether Zosia’s body will withstand the treatment and how long the road to recovery after the transplant will be.
Zosia’s world
Zosia loves dancing, acting, singing, painting, and fashion. Her world had always been colorful, full of expression, energy, and creative passion. The illness invaded its very center at the moment when Zosia was developing most beautifully within it.
The family is doing everything to save at least part of that space, although this is not easy in hospital conditions. Every gesture, every moment, every attempt to restore a little normality to Zosia becomes an act of love and a fight for her inner light.
Zosia faces a transplant and many months of treatment. Her family needs support to get through this time with strength and hope. Every donation is tangible help, and every gesture of compassion becomes proof to them that they are not alone in this fight.
Zosia’s family’s greatest wish is that the brightness of her childhood will not be eclipsed by the shadow of illness.
How can you help?
Details at pomagam.cancerfighters.pl.