A young doctor has overcome many obstacles, but an acute leukemia was his last.

Articles

26. 8. 2015 - Lenka Blažková

An acute leukemia is a type of cancer found in blood and in bone marrow. The only way how to treat it, is in many cases, a bone marrow transplant. In the Czech republic, there is not enough donors, so every fourth patient will not find a matching one in time. A lack of donors is the reason why a young doctor Václav Soudil (28) from Zlín lost his battle with this disease.

This is how Vašek's girlfriend, Jana Hudečková describes the days before his diagnosis. "Acute leukemia invaded our lives when we went through the most beautiful period of lifetime - when we finished our university studies, Vašek set up his own dental practice and proposed marriage to me. But instead of family plans we started to think about way of medical treatment. It was clear that without suitable donor of bone marrow and transplantation he couldn't survive. After very long search the donor was found in the USA. Reportedly it was a professional soldier who served a mission in Afghanistan at that moment. Therefore the bone marrow taking and transport was very lengthy. When it finally arrived to the Czech Republic, it was too late," says Jana.

"Václav's leukemia came back, but this time it was stronger and much more aggressive than before. New chemotherapy did not work and the transplantation was carried out under not ideal conditions, so the doctors did not give us too much chances. But Vašek was a fighter. He survived the transplantation and for a while it seemed he would be healthy. Unfortunately in few weeks the disease was back again. This time doctors said, they couldn't help and sent us home - to die..." says Vašek's partner Jana.

The last chance was arranged by Vašek´s friends who contacted Chamber for hemato-onkological cure in Frankfurt and asked there for help. As a result Vašek could undergo another chemotherapy, radiation therapy and new transplantation of bone marrow. And because he didn't have other choice, he decided to take this opportunity. Unfortunately after this big intervention into his already wretched body, it started slowly give out... Until one day when Vašek really died.

The story of Václav Soudil belongs to the many similar once from patients with leukemia who have died because they did not find a matching donor in time. In the Czech republic, less than 1% of the whole population has signed up to the register and every fourth patient will not find a matching donor.

During Barum rally, fans can sign up to the register at the náměstí Míru square in Zlín or at the service area in Otrokovice. The goal of this project is to remind people that the process of entering the register is not difficult and the role every additional donor plays is crucial.

"Please, don't be indifferent! Enter the register of bone marrow donors. You can save someones life. Similarly, someone else can save your life too," sends Jana Hudečková a message to all potential donors.