by Flora Krasnoshtein
It was unthinkable and devastating when in 2009 at a young
age of 23, Andrew was diagnosed with cancer, and all his life’s plans come to
an abrupt halt. No longer able to think about university, career, social life,
travelling, and other things 23-year olds think about, Andrew’s focus shifted
from planning his life to fighting for his life, and he became a patient at the
Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
After 2 successful surgeries, Andrew was in remission for
2.5 years. But this joy did not last, because in May 2012, at the age of 26,
Andrew’s cancer returned. The worst part was that this new cancer was different
from the first one – it was rare, more aggressive and difficult to treat. This
cancer is called primitive neuroectodermal tumour or PNET for short, which affects
only about 3 to 6% of people.
Andrew started chemo, and was treated from May–July 2012,
but unfortunately, the treatment did not shrink his cancer enough to operate. Doctors
decided to try another chemo, hoping that stronger drugs will be able to kill
the cancer. After being on the new chemo from October 2012–January 2013, doctors
decided to stop the treatment because this chemo did not work either. Andrew is
now receiving another chemo treatment, and is hopeful that this time the
tumours will shrink. This toxic and emotional rollercoaster ride has not weakened
Andrew’s resolve. He is hopeful that this time the chemo will work in
eradicating his tumours, and he can once again resume his life where it came to
an abrupt halt when he was 23. For Andrew, living without hope is simply not an
option!
Ways to Donate to Andrew’s Health Fund:
You can make a contribution at any CIBC branch in
either Canadian or US funds to Andrew’s Trust Account.
To donate in Canadian
funds, please make cheques payable to: 00122/59
– 12091 (Andrew Avetikov)
To donate in US
funds, please make cheques payable to: 00122/94
– 72037 (Andrew Avetikov)
The cheques can be
sent to: CIBC Investor Services Inc. 302 ─ 7501 Keele Street. Concord ON, CANADA L4K 1Y2
Please visit Andrew Avetikov’s Health Fund page on
Facebook
All unused
funds will be donated to the Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto and the
Canadian Cancer Society.
_________________________________
Andrew Avetikov is a 26-year old, living in Thornhill,
Ontario, Canada. An avid basketball fan, Andrew does not miss an opportunity to
cheer for his favourite basketball team, The Toronto Raptors, and his favourite
player, Lebron James! A wiz with electronic devices, Andrew is always ahead of
the game in the world of technology. Born in Toronto, Canada in 1986, Andrew attended
Montessori School, Kumon, Toronto French School, University of Western Ontario
and York University. Hobbies abound, Andrew is an accomplished swimmer and
skater, played hockey and tennis, and even figure skated. Andrew is fluent in
multiple languages including English, French, and Russian. Always surrounded by
friends, Andrew is popular and loved by everyone. Sidelined by cancer from the
age of 23, Andrew’s life now revolves around cancer treatments, chemo
appointments, CT scans, and blood tests.
Andrew is battling a rare, treatment-resistant form of cancer called
primitive neuroectodermal tumour (PNET), and is currently on his third chemo
regimen at the Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto.
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