8-year-old Barbare is sure, that her grandfather David will not die, because he promised to buy her roller skates. The grandfather always keeps his promises! As soon as he wins the battle against this unknown “cancer” her dream will come true.

“Cancer”, which sounds ridiculous to the little girl, is the danger, that the Dugashvili family have faced. The news about David’s diagnosis killed his father, and his mother deprives herself of everything and spends her pennies for her son’s treatment.

Mother is mother! It is not her turn, we have to save David!

“Will you help us? Won’t you?”- 69-year-old kept asking Darejan, looking into my eyes with imploringly. - This terrible disease attacked my boy again. For the second time! God is my last hope!

19 years ago I got my son back by prayer. Prostate cancer at the age of 30, can you imagine? David managed to defeat the disease in the past, but the horror and fear, that we got through, killed my husband. He did not survive after the stroke.

Instead of mourning after my husband’s death, I am fighting again for my son’s life! This damned cancer has attacked my son again. Now it has been ruining his lungs.

The God has answered my prayers! Because it was Hem, who directed Chernovetskyi Fund and his good friends to us! It was His will! We thank you, God!

Darejan wiped away her tears and left the room.

We continued the conversation with David, who with a frown was silently listening to his mother’s monologue all this time.

- David, how is it to fight an uphill battle with a fatal disease for a second time?

I will argue about the “uphill battle” – I have won in the first round, - David retorted with a forced smile. - Honestly, the news that the disease has returned after so many years is a hard blow. It almost made me give up and surrender to the fate. And what saved me was my mother’s prayers, the loving eyes of my wife, daughter and grandchildren. I decided to struggle and live for their sake.

Although, sometimes I think it would be better if it all stopped. My disease is such a heavy burden for them, especially for my daughter Inna. She manages to keeps our whole family, with her meager 400 GEL salary at the grocery shop, buying food for us and treating me. Oh, it’s unbearable for the father to be mooching off his daughter.

- You should be proud that you have raised such a daughter!

I am proud! If it were not for Inna I would not be sitting in front of you. It’s all her, my fighter! She found the doctor, she found out how the treatment could be financed by insurance. Then she bothered you. She learned that Chernovetskyi Fund helps all miserable and sick people and never ignores them, and she wrote to you. My Inna never gives up.

Thanks to her, now I take both chemotherapy and radiation therapy at the expense of state insurance. Would we afford that ourselves? No! It’s my daughter, who tries to save me! And her high spirit made me feel again responsible for my family. I realized that my family needs me! They need me alive! And I need them. Yes. 

- What did you feel when you learned about your cancer diagnosis for the second time? Did it sound like a verdict or like a call for fight?

This time I was diagnosed the second stage of lung cancer. I will never forget this day, 27th of February. When something like this happens to you, you think about nothing else. I will say terrible things now, but believe me, at this moment everything disappears - the family, the God, the whole world. There is only you and your disease. You and death standing in front of you. That’s all.

I almost gave up. Cancer for the second time. I literally wailed for myself. But for the sake of my family, of my grandchildren I pulled myself together.

- At what stage of your struggle are you now?

 I have chemotherapy every Thursday, and radiation therapy every day. It is very hard. I feel a terrible pain after the procedures. I wouldn’t wish anybody to go through this.

- How do you cope with the disease from the financial point of view?

Thanks to my daughter Inna, I managed to start chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Inna learned about the state insurance for cancer patients, she filled out all the documents and the insurance covered 70% of the therapy cost, the remaining 30%, 2000 GEL, we paid ourselves, don’t ask me how. We borrowed money from everybody, took a bank loan. 

God made our efforts succeed. But it’s not all. After the therapy course I will need to take three scans, to know if the therapy brought any results. It is not free, the patient has to pay for this “pleasure”. Then I will need expensive medications. 

I am unable to work anymore, my mother is retired, my wife Eka takes care of me and the grandchildren, we have four of them: 8-year-old Barbare, 5-year-old Anna-Maria, my namesake 4-year-old David and 2-year-old little Elene.

The 400 GEL that Inna earns are enough just o buy some bread for the children. Inna is the only person who works in our family. And we need so many things, especially the sick one - me.

- The situation is difficult, indeed. Where do you get your strength?

- We all are very religious. Trust in God gives us strength. Just thank to the Lord and his mercy have I survived until the present day. The Lord always gives one a burden according to his strength and, probably, He thinks that I can bear this burden. Everything is His will, and I will try to do my best.

You are not giving up, you believe in your recovery, and you want to increase the score in the fight against cancer to 2: 0. How will your life change after that?

- I will open my heart wider to God and those whom I love... Faith has always been a salvation for me, and now, sincere prayers uttered in my soul, relieve both my heart and intolerable pain.

And also, I will fulfill my cherished dream - I will dedicate myself to agriculture and cattle breeding.  Before being diagnosed with prostate cancer 19 years ago, I was involved in cattle breeding. But, because of the disease, I had to give it up and look for an easier job. This is how I became a driver ... As soon as I get rid of my current disease I will fulfill my dream and return to my favorite work.

- You have told me a lot about your family, tell us a little about your wife Eka

- Better not, otherwise you won't stop me! Eka is my angel in flesh! She put her life on me - for the second time she endures and nurses me, a cancer patient. All my mood swings after chemotherapy and radiation therapy, all my aggression caused by pain is transferred to her.

But Eka endures everything, she understands that it is my pain that gets irritated. She knows that I love her most of all in the world, and that I would never offend her. When the pain goes away, I hug her, ask to forgive me, and tell her that I live and breathe only thanks to her. 

- Eka how is it to face again the danger to lose your beloved husband?

Eka (45-year-old) - It is very scary. As David said, once we almost gave up, when we learned that the disease came back for the second time. But thanks to Inna, who did not get over her father's diagnosis, we started struggling again. Davit is quite young, he is only 48. We need him! Georgia needs him!

- How is David's mother, your mother-in-law, Darejan?

 She is worried much more than David. She even refuses to spend her pension for herself, she does not buy medications for herself to save money for David and the family. She is quite sick - she has high blood pressure, neurosis, problems with her stomach. But she keeps repeating: it’s not my turn now, we have to save David!

- Tell me a little bit more about your daughter Inna. She addressed us seeking help for David.

- Inna is a real fighter! Since being a schoolgirl she has been dreaming of studying at the Police Academy. Unfortunately, she did not manage to make this dream come true. We never had an opportunity to pay to private tutors, and now Inna works for the whole family, and she has no time for studies.

- How do the grandchildren take grandfather’s disease?

- Ask them. Do you see they are waiting for their turn to talk?

- Well, talk to me, but one at a time.

Let’s start with the only boy David (4-year-old). What is your grandfather like?

David (4-year-old) - He is the best! He always plays with us, never forbids anything, he is my friend! He has the same name as me, David! He is David and I am Datuna, because I am little yet.

Does your grandfather buy you sweets and toys?

David (4-year-old) - Not anymore. But earlier he used to buy me ice-cream and sweets. But now he has no money, he does not work, he goes to the doctors all the time.

Barbare (8-year-old) - My grandfather is sick, his body hurts all the time. We are trying not to make noise, not disturb him. But even if we make noise he does not scold us.

- Are you trying to please your grandfather with anything?

Barbare (8-year-old) - We always hug him and kiss him. Sometimes I make tea for him, when granny is busy.

He takes us for a walk. Mommy never has time, she works day and night. And grandfather always takes us for a walk in the yard.

He promised me that he would buy me roller skates and a skateboard when he gets well. He knows I am dreaming about that. 

David (4-year-old) - grandfather said he would buy me a big car as adults have!

Anna-Maria (5-year-old) - I make presents for him by myself, I draw rabbits and put them under his pillow. I'm not very good at it, but he likes it. I will draw a pink heart for you now, I have only two markers - pink and green.

- What about you, Elene (2-year-old), how do you please your grandfather?

 Elene (2-year-old) got shy and without saying a word just hugged her David’s neck. 

 - Guys, you are the best grandchildren! I want you to know, that your grandfather will keep all his promises! 

- David, you are a lucky person - you have such a selfless and loving family. You should struggle for their sake! How can we help you?

Eka started speaking again instead of David who is so stubborn! He will tell you nothing.

We addressed the Fund hoping to gather money for the scan, at least one instead of three. This is the most important thing for now. Due to the lack of money David might refuse of further treatment!  All will depend on the scan results.

Only desperate need made us apply to the Fund. David objected, he did not want to bother people. But we are in a desperate situation, we have no one to help - everyone has already helped us as much as they could from the very beginning, as soon as we learned that David had cancer again. Inna’s whole salary is spent on the basic needs - utility payments and food. Honestly, we only buy bread for kids, and starve ourselves.

But it does not matter, the most important now is that David would get well. Then my daughter will not have to struggle for the family alone - her father will be along with her.

---

Let's all open our hearts to compassion and mercy, let's not leave David Dugashvili and his family alone with the misfortune that overtook them! Helping people in trouble we are making this world better. It is so important to know, that there are good people! The life turns less scary and the hope for a miracle appears! 

Let’s help and give chance to the cancer patient David to come back to life and enjoy his growing grandchildren. David need treatment and medications. 

Call him, cheer him up and give him a hope for tomorrow. Phone: 595 927 171. Address:  Tbilisi, Varketili, 14 Gaklokidze Str Apartment 48.

Please repost our publication. Let your friends know about the grief of David Dugashvili and his family! It’s extremely important!

God gives us chances to care about people who are unable to take care of themselves. Those poor people are sent to us by heaven so that we could prove that we trust in God not by words, but in deeds!

Friends, there is one more request - if you know about the misfortune of a neighbor or friend do a godly deed, drop us an email at:  office-fsp@fsp.ge 

Our Fund’s accounts are:

GE15TB7194336080100003

GE42LB0115113036665000

GE64BG0000000470458000

(purpose: David Dugashvili). You can also transfer money from our website.

It is also possible to transfer money from Nova Technology, TBCpay and ExpressPay terminals. Find our Fund under "Charity" section. (You can read more about rights and responsibilities of the Fund following the link https://goo.gl/GY2Gus )

We have already helped many disadvantaged people! Let’s support and David, as no one is immune to bad luck! And who knows, maybe someday we ourselves will need help of strangers!

One call saves life - 0901 200 270