By Louise Walsh
A desperate Meath mum has revealed her huge struggle to meet everyday living costs as she helps her teenage son battle a rare form of cancer.
Tearful Nadia Vavro appealed for help after her family plummeted into debt in order to keep a roof over their heads and pay for her son's treatment.
The social worker who had to give up her job to look after her 13-year old son full-time when he was diagnosed, was reduced to tears when her car broke down on the motorway earlier this week.
Brave teen Slavomir (Slav), 13, was diagnosed with stage four Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma last January, which lay undetected in the arch of his foot until it spread into his spine and bone marrow.
His parents were told that no-one has ever survived this stage and type of cancer in Ireland and are determined to bring him abroad to give him a chance of life.
The Laytown family are now living on one income from her husband Vlad's job and Nadia says they are struggling to even get a bit of breathing room.
In an emotional Facebook post, she said that she cried when she learned of the repair costs for the car she needs to drive Slav to the hospital for this treatment.
I broke down today, the same way as my car did. I just cried and cried and could not stop and could not move. And I'll tell you the truth, there are times, I cannot hide when crying, although I try to cry only when Slav does not see me.
Nadia set up a GoFundMe page for treatment for Slav that she hopes she will be able to access in America and will not touch the funds for anything else.
"We keep all the money on GoFundMe solely for Slav's treatment. I probably would not be able to live with the guilt of not having enough money for Slav's treatment when needed because I know it's going to be expensive. So we live in debt.
"I buy all the health supplements for Slav and we are now €3,000 in debt, which is all the banks will allow us to go. We struggle to pay our mortgage and house insurance.
"I understand that there are people in debt who are also struggling to pay their mortgage and we never had this problem before when I was able to work."
"I'm with Slav 24/7 and somehow we got by until now, but I'm at breaking point. I'm struggling and don't know what to do."
Nadia says she feels guilty for asking for help - not to pay her mortgage - but to just be able to buy what Slav needs and afford to fix the car to drive to his treatment.
She also feels her older son Vlad, who has diabetes, is also suffering because she can't spend as much time with him or buy him things that he has asked for.
"I hope it is ok to ask for help if needed," she said while sincerely thanking everyone for their support and donations towards Slav's treatment.
She also admitted that her heart breaks when her young son asks what he did wrong to get cancer.
"He cries in the bed and asks me why him, what did he do wrong?"
"I say nothing my love. I love you most in this world and beyond and I would do everything for you.
"Do not worry, everything will be fine my beautiful boy who is beautiful from inside and outside."
Anyone who would like to help can get more information from the Facebook page or at PayPal [email protected].
