Norbert Gumola

Norbert turned 12 years old in August 2018. He is a happy, active and positive boy, an avid ice-hockey player. He loves social meetings, his friends and colleagues and playing instruments. He has two younger brothers – Szymon and Olyvier.

For the second time in his life Norbert is fighting  cancer – neuroblastoma.

He was first diagnosed with stage III neuroblastoma at age 4. The hospital in Prokocim became his second home for 8 months. After recovering, Norbert went back to his normal life. On weekends his family went to hockey matches, and watched how he fulfills himself in his favorite discipline – his passion. The disease did not give any symptoms, there was no decline in form or other ailments. He has always been successful at the sports clinic, and the effort tests associated with it have not caused him the slightest problem.

In spite of this, at the end of November 2017, during the annual check-ups in Prokocim, an unexpected, even impossible diagnosis was made: the cancer has returned. Norbert fights for his life again.

Norbert qualified for high risk and aggressive treatment including very strong chemotherapy, surgery, autograft, radiotherapy, acids and antibodies, and lastly immunotherapy – treatment with anti-GD-2 antibodies. This is the only chance for him, the only plan doctors have to keep him alive. Immunotherapy treatment is non-refundable by the Polish National Health Fund. Although Norbert is a high-risk patient, anti-GD2 prevents resuming cancer and increases the chance of a 20% chance of life!

Cancer has attacked a second time. If we fail now, the third time Norbert may not survive.