Mark Bondarenko

Our USA Resettlement Program has recently welcomed a new family with a younger child affected by SMA in San Diego, marking another step toward providing essential care for Ukrainian refugee children with rare diseases.

The Bondarenkos are a lovely family of four, including two adults and two children, who were forced to search for a safer place to live. Upon arrival, they moved into a new, yet unfurnished apartment in San Diego. To help them settle in, BfS arranged for essential items such as mattresses, pillows, chairs, and lamps to be delivered. Additionally, we’re temporarily covering their rent and utility expenses to ease their transition into this new chapter and ensure they can focus on their child.

The youngest kid, Mark is 5 months old and he has unfortunately experienced an early onset of spinal muscular atrophy. His general condition is weak; he’s hardly moving after birth and shows all the symptoms of SMA. He will probably also soon need respiratory support, despite his condition is temporarily stable thanks to Risdiplam. The family is hopeful that in the USA, Mark will gain access to the medical treatment unavailable in their war-torn country, and they dream of the day when Zolgensma could become an option for him. 

The journey of resettling in a new country is particularly challenging for families with children who have rare diseases, and we’re proud to stand by the Bondarenko family as they navigate this vulnerable time, until they gain clarity on organizing Mark’s healthcare.

We thank everyone who supports our USA Resettlement Program and makes miracles happen for Ukrainian kids with rare diseases. Every donation makes a difference in creating these moments of relief and hope 🇺🇦🇺🇸