🇩🇪 Help for Janek – So that his chance of a kidney transplant can become a reality

🇬🇧 Help Janek – Make his chance of a kidney transplant a reality

🇮🇹 Let’s help Janek – Let’s make his kidney transplant possible

🇵🇱 Help for Janek – so that his chance of a kidney transplant can become a reality

🇩🇪 German version

⬇️ 🇬🇧 English version below

⬇️ 🇮🇹 Italian version below

⬇️ 🇵🇱 The Polish version can be found at the bottom of the page

Help for Janek – So that his chance of a kidney transplant can become a reality

A few months ago, many people asked us the same question:

“How can we help Janek?”

At the time, we couldn’t give an answer.

There was hope, but no certainty yet. This was followed by consultations with specialists, numerous tests and many unanswered questions. No one could say whether a solution would be found in time, before Janek’s illness progressed to the next stage.

We didn’t want to ask for support until we ourselves knew exactly what we were fighting for.

Today, we can answer that question.

Today, there’s a real chance of a kidney transplant.

Not ‘sometime’.

Not maybe.

Now.

Janek

Janek is ten years old.

He was born with prune belly syndrome – one of the rarest congenital malformations of the urinary tract. The first medical procedures were necessary even before he was born.

Since then, his life has been marked by operations, hospital stays and countless medical examinations.

For Janek, this was never anything out of the ordinary.

It was simply his reality.

Today, he is in the end stage of chronic kidney disease.

And yet the illness does not define who he is.

He goes to school, spends time with his friends, takes an interest in the things that fascinate ten-year-olds, and enjoys every day on which he is simply allowed to be a child.

Anyone who meets Janek would hardly suspect just how seriously ill he actually is.

Ten years for this moment

Over the past ten years, every medical decision has been made with a single goal in mind:

to enable Janek to live without dialysis for as long as possible and to create the best possible conditions for a successful kidney transplant.

This journey hasn’t always been easy.

But it is precisely this path that has brought us this far.

To this day, Janek does not require dialysis.

We have used this extra time to work with specialists both at home and abroad to seek out the best possible treatment options.

Today, these options are indeed available.

The opportunity

For the first time since Janek’s birth, there is not just hope, but a concrete medical treatment plan.

The best prospect at present is a kidney transplant from a living donor at the University Hospital of Innsbruck in Austria.

Janek’s uncle from Austria would like to donate a kidney to him. The tests carried out so far, including the immunological compatibility test, have been so positive that the Austrian Transplant Centre has given the green light for further medical assessment of both the donor and the recipient.

For our family, this represents something we have been hoping for for ten years.

Janek has a real chance of receiving a kidney transplant.

At the same time, a transplant centre in Germany is assessing whether an ABO-incompatible living donation from Janek’s mother might also be possible.

In the meantime, Janek remains on the waiting list for a kidney transplant from a deceased donor.

This means there are now several realistic treatment options available.

And that is precisely what makes this situation so special.

This fundraising campaign is not intended to create hope.

Hope is already here.

Why we need support

The biggest challenge today is no longer the medical side of things.

The biggest challenge is funding this treatment.

Many people understandably ask us the same question:

Why is financial support needed if a suitable donor has been found and a transplant centre is prepared to carry out the treatment?

Although, following a thorough review of the medical records and test results to date, the Austrian transplant centre has assessed a living donor kidney transplant as the correct course of treatment for Janek and has given the go-ahead for the donor and recipient to proceed with further assessment, this course of treatment was not endorsed by the Polish transplant centre responsible for assessing children’s eligibility for kidney transplants.

The Austrian transplant centre’s assessment is based on the medical opinion provided, as well as on the findings of major scientific studies. It explains that an early living-donor kidney transplant offers Janek greater benefits than waiting for a better-matched organ from a deceased donor, which may not become available for many years, or may not become available in time at all. It is also emphasised that this can avoid the need for dialysis, and that living donor kidney transplants carried out before dialysis begins are more likely to function successfully in the long term and offer patients a better prognosis.

As this course of treatment was not endorsed by the relevant Polish transplant centre, there is currently no way of having the planned treatment in Innsbruck funded through the Polish healthcare system. Our family must therefore cover the costs of the treatment ourselves.

The preliminary cost estimate from Innsbruck University Hospital for the recipient’s treatment alone amounts to 74,869 euros.

In addition, there are numerous other necessary expenses, including those for tests, medication, travel, accommodation, the stay of an accompanying person, and post-operative medical care.

• Treatment for Janek at a transplant centre abroad (including the planned treatment at Innsbruck University Hospital based on the provisional cost estimate) – €75,000
• Medical examinations and suitability assessments for the donor and recipient, specialist consultations and necessary diagnostic tests – €10,000
• Travel, accommodation and living expenses for Janek and his accompanying person during treatment – €10,000
• Medication, follow-up examinations and medical care following the transplant – €15,000
• Reserve for unforeseen treatment costs, possible complications or the need to continue treatment at another transplant centre – €10,000

Total fundraising target: €120,000

Should the treatment have to be carried out at a transplant centre other than Innsbruck for reasons beyond our family’s control, the funds raised will be used for Janek’s treatment at that centre, as well as for all associated costs.

Should Janek ultimately receive a kidney transplant from a deceased donor in Poland, all donations will be used in full for his ongoing treatment, aftercare, necessary medication and follow-up examinations.

Every donation will be used exclusively for Janek’s treatment and all costs directly associated with it.

Why every bit of help counts

Over the past ten years, we have learnt to take things one step at a time.

Today, we can take a bigger step than ever before.

For the first time, there is a real chance of a kidney transplant.

Today, we’re not asking for a miracle.

What makes this special is that this opportunity actually exists today.

What Janek needs now is the opportunity to make the most of it.

If you’d like to support Janek on this journey – with a donation, by sharing this fundraising campaign, or simply by thinking of him – we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Every donation brings Janek closer to the opportunity he has been fighting for since the very first days of his life.

Any form of support means more to us than words can express.

🇬🇧 English Version

Help Janek – Make His Chance for a Kidney Transplant a Reality

A few months ago, many people asked us the same question:

“How can we help Janek?”

At that time, we couldn’t answer.

There was hope, but no certainty. Further consultations with specialists followed, along with numerous medical examinations and many unanswered questions. No one could say whether the right solution would be found before Janek’s condition took another turn for the worse.

We didn’t want to ask for help until we knew exactly what we were fighting for.

Today, we can answer that question.

Today, there is a real chance of a kidney transplant.

Not ‘someday’.

Not maybe.

Now.

Janek

Janek is ten years old.

He was born with Prune Belly syndrome, one of the rarest congenital urinary tract disorders. Even before he was born, the first medical procedures were already necessary.

Since then, his life has been filled with operations, hospital stays and countless medical examinations.

For Janek, this has never been anything out of the ordinary.

It has simply been his reality.

Today, he is living with end-stage chronic kidney disease.

Yet his illness does not define who he is.

He goes to school, spends time with his friends, enjoys the things every ten-year-old enjoys, and cherishes every day he can simply be a child.

Anyone who meets him would find it hard to believe just how seriously ill he really is.

Ten Years Leading Up to This Moment

For the past ten years, every medical decision has been made with one goal in mind:

to help Janek live as long as possible without dialysis and to create the best possible conditions for a successful kidney transplant.

This journey has not always been easy.

But it has brought us to where we are today.

Even now, Janek still does not require dialysis.

This precious time has been spent working with specialists in Poland and abroad to find the best possible treatment options.

Today, those options finally exist.

The Chance

For the first time since Janek was born, there is not only hope, but also a clear medical path forward.

The most promising option is a living donor kidney transplant at the University Hospital in Innsbruck, Austria.

Janek’s uncle, who lives in Austria, wants to donate one of his kidneys to him. The medical examinations carried out so far, including immunological compatibility testing, have yielded encouraging results, and the Austrian transplant centre has given the go-ahead to proceed with the next stage of the donor’s and recipient’s medical assessment.

For our family, this represents something we have been hoping for over the past ten years.

Janek now has a real chance of receiving a kidney transplant.

At the same time, a transplant centre in Germany is assessing the possibility of an ABO-incompatible living donor transplant involving Janek’s mother.

Meanwhile, Janek remains on the national waiting list for a kidney from a deceased donor.

Today, there are several genuine treatment options.

And that is what makes this moment so extraordinary.

This fundraiser is not about searching for hope.

Hope already exists.

Why We Need Your Support

Today, the greatest challenge is no longer the medical possibilities.

The greatest challenge is funding the treatment.

Many people understandably ask us the same question:

Why is financial support needed if a suitable donor has already been found and a transplant centre is willing to carry out the treatment?

Although the Austrian transplant centre, after carefully reviewing Janek’s medical records and test results, concluded that a living donor kidney transplant is the most appropriate treatment option for him and gave the go-ahead to continue the medical evaluation of both the donor and the recipient, this treatment approach was not supported by the Polish transplant centre responsible for assessing children’s eligibility for kidney transplantation.

The Austrian transplant centre’s assessment is based on a detailed medical opinion as well as the results of large-scale scientific studies. According to this opinion, an early living donor kidney transplant offers Janek greater benefits than waiting for a better-matched kidney from a deceased donor — a kidney that may only become available after many years or may not become available in time. It also emphasises that this approach gives Janek the opportunity to avoid dialysis and that living donor transplants carried out before dialysis begins are more likely to function for longer and provide patients with better long-term outcomes.

As this treatment approach was not supported by the Polish transplant centre, there is currently no possibility of funding the planned treatment in Innsbruck through the Polish public healthcare system. Consequently, our family must cover the costs of treatment ourselves.

The preliminary cost estimate issued by the University Hospital in Innsbruck for the recipient’s treatment alone amounts to €74,869.

In addition, there are many other essential expenses, including medical examinations, medication, travel, accommodation, the stay of a parent or carer, and long-term follow-up care.

• Janek’s treatment at an international transplant centre (including the planned treatment at the University Hospital in Innsbruck based on the preliminary cost estimate) – €75,000
• Medical assessment of the donor and recipient, specialist consultations and necessary diagnostic tests – €10,000
• Travel, accommodation and living expenses for Janek and his accompanying parent during treatment – €10,000
• Medications, follow-up examinations and post-transplant medical care – €15,000
• Reserve for unforeseen medical expenses, possible complications, or the need to continue treatment at another transplant centre – €10,000

Fundraising target: €120,000

If, for reasons beyond our family’s control, Janek’s treatment has to be carried out at a transplant centre other than Innsbruck, all funds raised will be used to cover the cost of his treatment there, together with all related medical and travel expenses.

If Janek ultimately receives a kidney transplant in Poland from a deceased donor, all donated funds will be used exclusively for his ongoing treatment, post-transplant care, medication and the necessary follow-up examinations.

Every donation will be used exclusively for Janek’s treatment and all expenses directly related to it.

Why Every Contribution Matters

Over the past ten years, we have learnt to take one step at a time.

Today, we are finally able to take the biggest step yet.

For the first time, there is a real chance of a kidney transplant.

Today, we are not asking for a miracle.

The extraordinary thing is that this chance already exists.

What Janek needs now is the opportunity to make the most of it.

If you would like to support Janek on this journey – by making a donation, sharing this fundraiser, or simply keeping him in your thoughts – we are deeply grateful.

Every donation brings Janek one step closer to the chance he has been fighting for since the very first days of his life.

Every act of kindness and support means more to us than words can express.

🇮🇹 Italian version

Let’s help Janek – Let’s make his kidney transplant possible

A few months ago, many people asked us the same question:

“How can we help Janek?”

At the time, we weren’t yet able to give an answer.

There was hope, but no certainty yet. This was followed by appointments with specialists, numerous tests and many unanswered questions. No one could know whether it would be possible to find the right solution before Janek’s condition took a further turn for the worse.

We didn’t want to ask for help until we knew for certain what we were fighting for.

Today we can finally answer that question.

Today there is a real possibility of a kidney transplant.

Not one day.

Not ‘maybe’.

Now.

Janek

Janek is ten years old.

He was born with Prune Belly syndrome, one of the rarest congenital malformations of the urinary tract. The first medical interventions were necessary even before he was born.

Since then, his life has been marked by operations, hospital stays and countless tests.

For Janek, none of this has ever been anything out of the ordinary.

It is simply his reality.

Today, he is in the terminal stage of chronic kidney disease.

Yet the illness does not define who he is.

He goes to school, spends time with his friends, loves everything a ten-year-old is passionate about, and enjoys every day when he can simply be a child.

Anyone who meets him would find it hard to imagine just how seriously ill he is.

Ten years to reach this point

Over the last ten years, every medical decision has been made with a single goal in mind:

to allow Janek to live as long as possible without dialysis and to create the best possible conditions for a successful kidney transplant.

It hasn’t been an easy journey.

But it is precisely this journey that has brought us this far.

Even today, Janek does not need dialysis.

This precious time has been used to explore, together with specialists in Poland and abroad, the best possible treatment options.

Today, these options really do exist.

The possibility

For the first time since Janek was born, there is not only hope, but also a concrete treatment plan.

The most promising option at present is a kidney transplant from a living donor at Innsbruck University Hospital in Austria.

Janek’s uncle, who lives in Austria, wishes to donate one of his kidneys to him. The tests carried out so far, including those for immunological compatibility, have yielded such encouraging results that the Austrian transplant centre has given the go-ahead to proceed with the next phase of medical assessment of the donor and recipient.

For our family, this is something we have been waiting for for ten years.

Janek finally has a real chance of receiving a kidney transplant.

At the same time, a transplant centre in Germany is considering the possibility of carrying out a transplant from a living donor who is incompatible with Janek’s mother in terms of blood group (ABO).

Meanwhile, Janek remains on the national waiting list for a kidney transplant from a deceased donor.

So today there are several real possibilities for treatment.

And that is precisely what makes this situation so special.

This fundraising campaign is not about creating hope.

Hope already exists.

Why we need your help

Today, the greatest challenge no longer lies in the possibilities offered by medicine.

The real challenge is to fund this course of treatment.

Many people, understandably, ask us the same question:

Why is it necessary to raise funds if a compatible donor has already been found and a transplant centre is willing to carry out the transplant?

Although the Austrian transplant centre, having carefully assessed all the clinical documentation and tests carried out to date, has deemed a living-donor transplant to be the most suitable treatment option for Janek and has authorised the continuation of the donor and recipient assessment, this treatment approach has not been endorsed by the Polish transplant centre responsible for assessing children for kidney transplants.

The Austrian transplant centre’s position is based on a detailed medical assessment and the findings of major international scientific studies. According to this data, a living-donor transplant carried out at an early stage offers Janek greater benefits than waiting for a better-matched organ from a deceased donor, which might only become available after many years or might not arrive in time. It is also emphasised that this strategy avoids the need for dialysis and that living-donor transplants carried out before the start of dialysis are more likely to function for longer and ensure a better prognosis.

As this course of treatment has not been endorsed by the relevant Polish transplant centre, it is currently not possible to obtain funding for the planned operation in Innsbruck through the Polish public healthcare system. For this reason, our family is forced to cover all the costs of the treatment ourselves.

The preliminary quote issued by Innsbruck University Hospital for the recipient’s treatment alone amounts to 74,869 euros.

In addition to this figure, there are many other essential expenses: medical tests, medication, travel, accommodation, the stay of a parent or carer, and all the necessary post-transplant care.

• Janek’s treatment at a transplant centre abroad (including the planned treatment at Innsbruck University Hospital based on the preliminary estimate) – €75,000
• Medical assessment of the donor and recipient, specialist consultations and necessary diagnostic tests – €10,000
• Travel, accommodation and living expenses for Janek and the parent accompanying him during treatment – €10,000
• Medication, medical check-ups and post-transplant care – €15,000
• Contingency fund for unforeseen medical expenses, any complications or the need to continue treatment at another transplant centre – €10,000

Fundraising target: €120,000

If, for reasons beyond our family’s control, the treatment has to be carried out at a transplant centre other than Innsbruck, all funds raised will be used to cover Janek’s care at that centre and all expenses directly related to the treatment.

If, however, Janek receives a kidney transplant in Poland from a deceased donor, all funds raised will be used exclusively for his follow-up care, post-transplant support, necessary medication and medical check-ups.

Every donation will be used exclusively for Janek’s treatment and all expenses directly related to his care.

Becauseevery bit of help counts

Over the last ten years, we have learnt to take things one step at a time.

Today, we can finally take the most important step.

For the first time, there is a real possibility of a kidney transplant.

We are not asking for a miracle today.

The extraordinary thing is that this possibility really does exist.

What Janek needs now is simply the opportunity to seize it.

If you’d like to support Janek on this journey — through a donation, by sharing this fundraiser, or simply by keeping him in your thoughts — we’d be deeply grateful.

Every donation brings Janek closer to the chance he has been fighting for since the very first days of his life.

Every gesture of solidarity means far more to us than words can express.

🇵🇱 Polish version

Help for Janek – so that his chance of a kidney transplant can become a reality

A few months ago, many people asked us the same question:

“How can we help Janek?”

At the time, we didn’t yet know how to answer it.

There was hope, but no certainty. Further consultations with specialists took place, along with numerous tests, and many questions arose. No one could say whether a suitable solution would be found before Janek’s condition took a turn for the worse.

We didn’t want to ask for help until we knew for ourselves what we were fighting for.

Today we can answer that question.

Today there is a real chance of a kidney transplant.

Not ‘someday’.

Not ‘maybe’.

Now.

Janek

Janek is ten years old.

He was born with Prune Belly syndrome – one of the rarest congenital defects of the urinary tract. The first medical interventions were necessary even before he was born.

Since then, his life has been a series of operations, hospital stays and countless tests.

For Janek, this has never been anything out of the ordinary.

It’s simply part of his everyday life.

Today, he is in the end-stage of chronic kidney disease.

And yet, his illness does not define who he is.

He goes to school, spends time with friends, is interested in the things that fascinate any ten-year-old, and enjoys every day when he can simply be a child.

Anyone who meets him would find it hard to believe just how seriously ill he is.

Ten years of preparation for this moment

Over the last ten years, every medical decision has been made with a single aim:

to enable Janek to function without dialysis for as long as possible and to create the best possible conditions for a successful transplant.

This journey has not always been easy.

But it is precisely this journey that has brought us to this point.

To this day, Janek does not require dialysis.

This time has been spent working together with specialists in Poland and abroad to explore the best treatment options.

Today, these options really do exist.

A chance

For the first time since Janek was born, there is not only hope, but also a concrete medical treatment pathway.

The best chance is a kidney transplant from a living donor at the University Hospital in Innsbruck, Austria.

Janek’s uncle from Austria wants to donate his kidney to him. The tests carried out so far, including immunological compatibility tests, have been successful enough for the Austrian transplant centre to give the go-ahead for the donor and recipient to proceed with further assessment.

For our family, this is something we have been waiting for for ten years.

Janek has a real chance of receiving a kidney transplant.

At the same time, the transplant centre in Germany is looking into the possibility of carrying out a cross-blood-group (ABO) transplant with Janek’s mum as the donor.

At the same time, Janek remains on the waiting list for a kidney transplant from a deceased donor.

So there are several realistic treatment options.

And that is what makes this so special.

This fundraising campaign is not intended to create hope.

That hope already exists.

Why we need your support

Medical options are no longer the biggest challenge today.

The biggest challenge is funding the treatment.

Many people are asking themselves an understandable question:

Why is money needed if a donor has been found and the transplant centre is ready to carry out the treatment?

Although, after analysing the medical records to date and the test results, the Austrian transplant centre recognised a kidney transplant from a living donor as the appropriate course of treatment for Janek and gave the go-ahead for further assessment of the donor and recipient, this course of treatment has not been approved by the Polish centre responsible for assessing children for kidney transplants.

The Austrian centre’s position is based on the medical opinion presented and the results of large-scale scientific studies. It was pointed out that an earlier kidney transplant from a living donor would offer Janek greater benefits than waiting for a better-matched organ, which might not become available for many years or might not become available in time. It was also emphasised that this strategy offers the chance to avoid dialysis, and that transplants from living donors carried out before dialysis begins tend to function for longer and provide patients with a better prognosis.

As this course of treatment has not been approved by the Polish referral centre, it is currently not possible to obtain funding for the planned treatment in Innsbruck through the Polish healthcare system. Our family must therefore cover the costs of treatment ourselves.

The preliminary cost estimate from the University Hospital in Innsbruck for the recipient’s treatment alone amounts to 74,869 euros.

On top of this, there are further necessary expenses, including tests, medication, travel, accommodation, the carer’s stay and post-transplant care.

• Janek’s treatment at a transplant centre abroad (including the planned treatment at the University Hospital in Innsbruck in accordance with the preliminary cost estimate) – €75,000
• Medical assessment of the donor and recipient, specialist consultations and necessary diagnostic tests – €10,000
• Travel, accommodation and living expenses for the carer during treatment – €10,000
• Medicines, follow-up examinations and post-transplant care – €15,000
• Contingency fund for unforeseen treatment costs, complications or the need to continue treatment at another transplant centre – €10,000

Total fundraising target: €120,000

If, for reasons beyond our family’s control, the treatment has to be carried out at a centre other than Innsbruck, the funds raised will be used to finance Janek’s treatment at that centre and all associated costs.

If the transplant ultimately takes place in Poland using a kidney from a deceased donor, all funds raised will be used to cover Janek’s ongoing treatment, post-transplant care, medication and necessary follow-up examinations.

Every donation made will be used exclusively for Janek’s treatment and all costs directly associated with it.

Why every bit of help matters

Over the last ten years, we have learnt to think about everything step by step.

Today, we can take a step further than ever before.

For the first time, there is a real chance of a kidney transplant.

Today, we are not asking for a miracle.

What makes this special is that this opportunity really does exist.

What Janek needs now is the opportunity to make the most of it.

If you would like to support Janek on this journey – by making a donation, sharing this fundraising page or simply keeping him in your thoughts – we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Every donation brings Janek one step closer to seizing the opportunity he has been fighting for since the very first days of his life.

Every form of support means more to us than we can put into words.