The first two pictures top left of Maryna were taken while she was still in hospital in the Ukraine. (Green on her face is medicine.)  The rest of the pictures are of a little girl who now sit up and lean forward all on her own.  She is laughing and learning.  A month ago, while she was in the Ukrainian ICU, she was near death, with little life animating from her. Now look at her!  Oh, the dog is Bodie the Schnauzer. 

Maryna with her new feet!  Thank you Jesus!

Benefit Dinner Pictures
for
Mothers Care
March 16, 2007

Historical Background:

Marina's story is a sad one, but also a story full of hope, courage, and miracles. 

Maryna was abandoned at birth, most likely because of the cleft palate, deformed foot and only four fingers on one hand.  Although she was placed in an orphanage, she spent the first years of her life in a hospital ward for children from the orphanage.  Suffering from a genetic blood disorder, and being exposed to so many viruses from other children from the orphanage who were placed in her room, Maryna has battled sickness constantly.  Malnutrition also affected her ability to fight illnesses.

 Latest Update: April 2007
After the benefit dinner which has now raised over $26,000, Maryna returned to Florida where in April she recieved the operation for her new feet!
Check out the picture above.  Also notice how nicely her move is healing since the operation on her cleft palate.

February 23, 2007
We are pleased to announce that Marina had her cleft lip and palate surgery on Tuesday at St Joseph's Hospital in Tampa, Florida and she is doing great!

I will update our website on Marina next week with pictures so that all of you can see how she is doing.  She has some swelling and some stitches that will have to stay in for a while, but she is recovering great, eating, playing and adjusting to her new mouth. 

Breathing was a real challenge that first night, with the swelling and the new roof to her mouth, but she came through beautifully and is doing great.  We even get a little smile now and then.  

She is on blood thinners because of her blood clotting disorder and will need to be in the hospital to be monitored for a few days, and she is really wanting to go home, so pray that she will be at peace until she is released from the hospital. 

Thank you so much to all of you who have called and written to let us know you are praying and thinking of us.  We appreciate you so much! 

Next week we will have some updated pictures of Marina.

January 29, 2007

Because of the effects that cold weather has on Marina, sometime in September, Becky and Andy took her to Florida where the warmer climate will be easier on her.  In that time much work has been done to secure proper medical treatment.  It has been a whirl wind of red tape between hospital after hospital.  Between Jersey Shore Medical Center, to DuPont Children’s Hospital, to Shriners’ Hospital in Philadelphia, to Shriners’ Hospital in Tampa and finally to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa Florida, we now see progress.

St. Joseph’s Hospital has now taken over much of Marina’s care.  We are happy to say that Marina came through surgery on her hand beautifully.  She doesn't seem to have much pain and is being well cared for here at St Joseph's Hospital. We were not surprised to hear the surgeon say that there was infection in the bone in one finger, so he had to take more bone than he originally thought, but Marina will heal quickly now that there is no more infection in that hand.  She is feeling better and is acting like her silly self.   

Marina will undergo more surgeries at St.Joseph’s Hospital.  We don't know the date yet, but it will be somewhere time in February.  They will do her lip first and then inside of her mouth four weeks later.  And they will do it absolutely for free!!! 

Another bit of exciting news, we may even have a family who is interested in adopting Marina.  Please pray that the operations will go well, for a speedy recovery, and for the people who want to adopt her that all the paper work will be approved.

A number of people have called the parish or 
e-mailed asking about money donations.  All donations may be sent to: