Artem's Story

Artem, a six-year-old boy from Ukraine, was evacuated to the UK when the hospital he was being treated in for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia was bombed.

Family Support Worker Lilia from the London and South East Care team began to support his family in June 2022. Due to being evacuated the family had to leave their home, family and friends under traumatic circumstances, they did not speak English, had very little other support in the UK and were completely isolated.

Originally, Lilia supported the family with whatever they needed, whether it was supporting Artem with schoolwork, signposting the family to resources, giving them a space to offload their feelings, or helping them to set up bank accounts. As Lilia speaks Russian, which is similar to Ukrainian, she was also able to translate for the family during essential hospital appointments.

On other occasions Lilia filled in applications and sourced opportunities that will allow the family to make precious memories together.

Lilia supported Alina and Natalie intensively, to help them come to terms with the devastating news that Artem’s treatment had been unsuccessful and that he would die.

In November 2023, Artem began to deteriorate, getting worse each week. He started to need more medical care as his body was weak and struggling to fight. Artem fell into a coma and was intubated, a procedure that supports breathing, several times. His family was told that he might not wake up.

Alina desperately wanted Artem’s body to be taken home and buried in Ukraine. Lilia supported with the repatriation of his body for the funeral in Ukraine, helping to fill out paperwork and managing communications between the parties involved. Throughout their time in Ukraine for the funeral, Lilia remained in touch with Alina who was struggling.

Through regular phone calls and communication, Lilia was able to encourage Alina to focus on her positive memories of Artem, ensuring she knew there was nothing more she could have done. The family is now back in the UK and have begun to sort through and donate Artem’s belongings. Lilia has been helping them to hold on to precious items and talk about their memories of Artem, remembering him as the lovely boy he was.

“It is so important for families to have support to help them keep going when the worst thing imaginable happens. For this to be from someone like me, who knew their child, makes a real difference and is a comfort to them. Alina has said to me ‘I would be lost without you’.

“To have a child who is dying, to be away from home and not able to speak the language or communicate with doctors, it is a whole world of confusion and uncertainty. I am glad to have been able to be there to help them navigate and to have that flexibility to be able to do whatever was needed.” - Family Support Worker Lilia

Support continues to be vital for the family as they come to terms with their grief. Lilia provides regular bereavement support for Alina and Natalie as they discuss their feelings and talk about what happened. Lilia offers them a safe, non-judgmental space to offload and cry if they need to.