Three years ago the diagnosis changed the life of man. Shalaginov desperately battling with cancer and at the same time support other people in distress. Nikita underwent a double surgery, 33 sessions of radiation therapy and six courses of chemistry.

“You have a soft tissue sarcoma…” – 20-year-old student Nikita Shalaginov not believe his ears. I was scared, but even more, not because it was terrible, and when I saw my dad, only green, which slowly broke the chair. Since then, Nikita bravely fighting the disease. He was treated in Korea, double surgery, 33 sessions of radiation therapy and 6 courses of chemistry. But cancer doesn’t give up.

What people say

The guy living a normal life: he graduated from the school, arrived from Kamchatka to the capital, entered the engineer], worked in construction. That’s only one constantly bothered: three-year Nikita walked with a bandaged thumb of the right hand. “I did not get out from the hospital, I had surgery after surgery, the doctors insisted, saying that it’s osteomyelitis – inflammation of bone, and removed the dead portions of tissue, says Shalaginov. – Removed one knuckle, then the second, leaving only the metacarpal bone, to the last hoped that will be, when it is healed, wear a prosthesis. According to the rules of the doctors had not time to do me a histological analysis… Felt very uncomfortable. Had to answer the questions: “What’s with the finger?” or “Oh, you’re still in bandages?” Me from the word “finger” was already sick. I was fixated on it.

Remember, the guys friend said, “Nikita, here you go, bandaged and looking kind of… handicapped.” I said, “As inferior?” He slightly lowered his gaze: “It’s spoil your image.” Catchphrase for a long time stuck in my head. I once again tried t-shirts not to wear, most shirts with long sleeves. It was important, what people think, what will they say behind my back. I remember after the surgery was talking to my mom on the phone and cried, “Mom, I will do something, how to live in society? I don’t have a finger!” And she said, “You fool!”

Bumping before Instagram pages of people who talked about cancer, about how their life was divided into before and after, Nikita could never think that this can relate to it. “Understanding the disease comes when you are already sick, – confesses the young man. – My grandfather died from colon cancer. He suffered more than 5 years. We communicated, for the holidays together with the whole family at the big table. And I saw he was fading, he lost weight, then came down… they were ready. And the year before was not grandfather’s mother. Everyone was in shock – he died in his sleep. The second grandfather was sitting at the funeral, such a bald, looked at one point… in time I analyzed that day. And I understand that he had a good feeling.”

Last chance

A month after the last operation in Moscow, Nikita got a call from the hospital came the histology results. After learning about the heart attack, he, along with his father, collecting all available means, flew to South Korea. The next day was already in the clinic and had a complete examination and waited for results. “Two weeks walked, ate ice cream. Well, not with me this happen! Why not? What kind of question is that? Because I already had it all planned in my life, now I lie down, close session…” – says Nikita. Positron emission and computed tomography revealed activity be in the hand and under the arm, and the biopsy showed this to epithelioid sarcoma of soft tissues. “There was a feeling that the head struck a bell – continues Shalaginov. – Approached the father who was devastated hugged him: “All is well”. Immediately began to discuss with the Professor the treatment. Several times asked whether the time we arrived. Then there was the surgery, which lasted about nine hours: the surgeons removed the lymph node and what was left of the finger. Then the thirty-three courses of radiation therapy, six to chemistry. The first time my parents took out loans, he had nothing to sell… When the money ran out, I discovered a fundraiser on the Internet. He became interested, went hashtag #akdurak, us. And then still noticed a difference. In Russia we have some posts for help, but in the US people share their experience. I decided to create EOP – Single Oncology portal, where you will find all the information about the clinics, patients, the treatment”.

On the last chemistry course the guy noticed the pimple on the palm of your hand: the biopsy showed sarcoma returned, they found new nodules p od with the mouse. “The Professor has offered to continue the chemo, but I refused, I realized that the treatment does not work – says Nikita. – My parents went to Germany, they hold still and hyperthermia, melotherapy, immunotherapy. The point is to use vaccines to teach the cells of T-killers to find the tumor and to deal with it.”

But in the Berlin clinic failed to stop the cancer.

“I remember, came out of the doctor’s office and think, “What next?” Then there was a clear confidence – you need something to leave behind to live somewhere, at least in Instagram posts, – says Nikita. – It was not so scary to die. Sit on the couch – I’m tired, can’t do it. Me for these moments ashamed. Sometimes even thinking about nothing, watching a movie, and then BAM – a picture in your head as you’re on the coffin a handful of earth is thrown, see my gravestone…”

Family Nikita started to look for something new. The website, which contains information about clinical trials in the world, given four options: isolated perfusion of the limb, two drugs to prolong life and fourth gene therapy. “We had to find a confirmation that the fourth method fits me, explains Shalaginov. – We went to the Professor who directs the research, joined him in England. He acknowledged that genetic drug to me. But to be treated there, I can’t because is not a resident. We phoned every clinic in Europe – there is the same law.”

Last chance for Nikita – clinic in Cincinnati, which is ready to accept it. Initially the doctors prescribed a course of treatment length in 4 months for $70 thousand. But right at the time of our meeting Shalaginova another one arrives and he loses his voice. The hospital counted the plan – now it’s two years and $345 thousand. Nikita lays the phone for a minute shuts up: new figures are introduced into a stupor. A guy online was supported by stars, friends, and just strangers. Let’s give him a chance!

If you want to help nick, you can do so in any convenient way:

Sberbank:

4276 4000 4050 9540

(Nikita Shalaginov)

PayPal: [email protected]

Qiwi: +7 (926) 976-53-64

“Yandex.Money”: 41001849487129