Dima

Dima is a beautiful, cheerful, cheeky four year old boy. He has a benign brain tumour that has caused him to have hydrocephalus (fluid around the brain causing a build up of pressure). He will die unless he has an operation to place a shunt.

Dima lives in Belarus with his parents. The southern regions of Belarus received 70% of the fallout from the Chernobyl disaster 21 years ago and the land, water and air remains radioactive. This has resulted in a 3000 times increase cancers, leaukaemias and other disorders and has almost certainly caused Dima’s brain tumour.

Bridges to Belarus is a charity small charity based in East Anglia that works in Belarus with children affected by the Chernobyl disaster, aiming to help children, families and orphanages there by improving health and the quality of life for children who are terminally ill.

An operation costing Ł1000 will save Dima’s life. Dima’s family currently live in a shed at the back of his grandparents house. His father works hard to earn just Ł6 a month to support the whole family and his mother has to look after Dima all the time as he is only just learning to walk, is still doubly incontinent and has many other problems. There is no way that they could afford to pay for this operation and they are desperate to save their little boy’s life.

Bridges to Belarus is aiming to raise Ł1500 to pay for Dima’s operation, pay for a washing machine for the family to aid his recovery and pay for prescription medicines and good food that he will require after his operation.

If you would like to contribute to saving Dima’s life, please donate whatever you feel able.

Thank you.

Update Dima:

On December 18 2007, I took drastic measures to raise the funds for Dima's life-saving operation. I decided to sell off the staff at Ipswich Hospital in a slave auction!

The brain-wave of Nicola Galloway and ably assisted by Helen Reade, we organised a group of slaves and then let the selling begin...

Volunteers were sold for a range of 'duties' including cleaning kitchens and cars, ironing, cooking, painting, dates and several brave/gullible people offering services to be specified by the buyer! Rob Coleman, our compere for the evening, drove the prices high with some people actually bidding against themselves! Everyone present enjoyed the evening and we were invited back to the Mess to hold another event in the near future.

Overall, with private donations raised through the pubicity that the event brought around the hospital, we raised over Ł2000 for Dima. Ł1000 of this will pay for his operation and the other Ł1000 will be used to buy a washing machine for his family, pay for all his prescription medicines that he needs, buy good food and warm clothing to help him recover as best as possible and will allow his parents some financial leeway around the time of his operation so that they have one less thing to worry about.

This is a huge achievement and Dima's family were moved beyond words when I told them the news just before Christmas. They have asked me to pass on their sincere thanks to everyone involved in helping to save Dima's life and we will bring you updates of his progress with photos and reports as soon as possible.