Five-year-old Kubuś should be living a life filled with play, discovery, and carefree joy, not one overshadowed by IV poles, hospital corridors, and the painful rituals of cancer treatment. Yet this is the reality forced upon him after a diagnosis no parent ever imagines hearing. Neuroblastoma—one of the most aggressive and deadly childhood cancers—struck his tiny body without warning. And with an unfavorable n-MYC gene, his case became one of the highest-risk forms of the disease. Overnight, a normal childhood was replaced by a battle for survival.

The nightmare began last September when Kuba’s father, Jakub, took him for a scheduled abdominal ultrasound. Just a week earlier, Kuba had been experiencing severe abdominal pain, vomiting, constipation, and fever—symptoms that seemed unusual but not alarming enough to expect the worst. However, during the exam, the pediatrician’s expression changed. She said Kuba’s abdomen felt “strangely full,” and out of caution, referred them to the hospital for more advanced imaging. In that moment, Jakub felt his heart drop. His vision blurred with fear, and he clung to hope that the doctor was simply overreacting.

But the hospital tests delivered devastating clarity. An 8-centimeter mass was found between Kuba’s kidney and spleen. Further MRI scans revealed a solid cystic tumor in the left adrenal gland. The biopsy confirmed the truth they feared most: a malignant neuroblastoma. For Jakub, it felt as if the ground disappeared beneath his feet. He had imagined returning home with reassurance, not with a diagnosis that would change the course of their family’s life forever.

The family traveled to Wrocław, hoping for surgical removal of the tumor. Surgeons prepared for what they believed would be a difficult but possible procedure. Instead, they discovered something far worse. Once they opened the surgical field, it became clear that the tumor was wrapped tightly around surrounding organs, making it impossible to remove safely. The surgery was halted. Their hopes of a quick victory against the disease vanished, replaced by the harsh reality of a long, punishing fight.

From that day on, life became an exhausting routine of chemotherapy, hospital stays, and agonizing procedures. Jakub describes standing beside his son during blood draws, hearing his terrified screams, and feeling utterly powerless. He watched doctors connect Kuba to tubes filled with harsh chemicals, knowing those medicines targeted not only cancer cells but healthy ones too. He held his son tightly, trying to be a shield, a comfort, and a source of courage—because in moments like those, that was all a father could do.

For a while, Kuba endured everything thrown at him—the endless needles, the nausea, the fatigue, the fear. His small body fought with all the strength it had. But then came the words no parent ever wants to hear a second time: the cancer had returned. The relapse meant his treatment options were now limited, and his chances were shrinking. As Jakub painfully described, “Now my son actually has his last chance to survive.”

Faced with this cruel reality, Jakub made the only decision he could—he quit his job to care for his son full-time. The family’s days revolve around hospital visits, long nights monitoring symptoms, and desperate attempts to keep Kuba’s weight stable through specialized nutrition. The financial strain grows heavier by the week. Travel, medication, special diets, and countless unexpected costs are pushing the family far beyond what they can manage alone.

What breaks Jakub’s heart the most is the childhood being stolen from his son. At five years old, Kuba should be running through the yard, climbing playgrounds, and laughing until he can’t breathe. Instead, he is confined to hospital beds, surrounded by wires, needles, and the constant reminder that he is fighting for his life. His parents cling to hope, believing fiercely that one day he will return to the carefree world he deserves.

Now, the family is pleading for help. They are fighting not only a brutal disease but also the overwhelming financial burden that stands between their child and the treatment he desperately needs. They know they cannot save him alone. Every donation, every share, every act of support is a lifeline—a chance to give Kuba the future that cancer is trying to steal from him.

“We only dream of our son’s health,” Jakub says. “We dream of the day his suffering ends. We are asking for help to save him. Five years is no time to die.”

The Kuligowski family continues to fight with everything they have. But today, they are asking others to fight alongside them—for hope, for time, and for the precious life of their little boy.

Five-year-old Kubuś should be living a life filled with play, discovery, and carefree joy, not one overshadowed by IV poles, hospital corridors, and the painful rituals of cancer treatment. Yet this is the reality forced upon him after a diagnosis no parent ever imagines hearing. Neuroblastoma—one of the most aggressive and deadly childhood cancers—struck his tiny body without warning. And with an unfavorable n-MYC gene, his case became one of the highest-risk forms of the disease. Overnight, a normal childhood was replaced by a battle for survival.

The nightmare began last September when Kuba’s father, Jakub, took him for a scheduled abdominal ultrasound. Just a week earlier, Kuba had been experiencing severe abdominal pain, vomiting, constipation, and fever—symptoms that seemed unusual but not alarming enough to expect the worst. However, during the exam, the pediatrician’s expression changed. She said Kuba’s abdomen felt “strangely full,” and out of caution, referred them to the hospital for more advanced imaging. In that moment, Jakub felt his heart drop. His vision blurred with fear, and he clung to hope that the doctor was simply overreacting.

But the hospital tests delivered devastating clarity. An 8-centimeter mass was found between Kuba’s kidney and spleen. Further MRI scans revealed a solid cystic tumor in the left adrenal gland. The biopsy confirmed the truth they feared most: a malignant neuroblastoma. For Jakub, it felt as if the ground disappeared beneath his feet. He had imagined returning home with reassurance, not with a diagnosis that would change the course of their family’s life forever.

The family traveled to Wrocław, hoping for surgical removal of the tumor. Surgeons prepared for what they believed would be a difficult but possible procedure. Instead, they discovered something far worse. Once they opened the surgical field, it became clear that the tumor was wrapped tightly around surrounding organs, making it impossible to remove safely. The surgery was halted. Their hopes of a quick victory against the disease vanished, replaced by the harsh reality of a long, punishing fight.

From that day on, life became an exhausting routine of chemotherapy, hospital stays, and agonizing procedures. Jakub describes standing beside his son during blood draws, hearing his terrified screams, and feeling utterly powerless. He watched doctors connect Kuba to tubes filled with harsh chemicals, knowing those medicines targeted not only cancer cells but healthy ones too. He held his son tightly, trying to be a shield, a comfort, and a source of courage—because in moments like those, that was all a father could do.

For a while, Kuba endured everything thrown at him—the endless needles, the nausea, the fatigue, the fear. His small body fought with all the strength it had. But then came the words no parent ever wants to hear a second time: the cancer had returned. The relapse meant his treatment options were now limited, and his chances were shrinking. As Jakub painfully described, “Now my son actually has his last chance to survive.”

Faced with this cruel reality, Jakub made the only decision he could—he quit his job to care for his son full-time. The family’s days revolve around hospital visits, long nights monitoring symptoms, and desperate attempts to keep Kuba’s weight stable through specialized nutrition. The financial strain grows heavier by the week. Travel, medication, special diets, and countless unexpected costs are pushing the family far beyond what they can manage alone.

What breaks Jakub’s heart the most is the childhood being stolen from his son. At five years old, Kuba should be running through the yard, climbing playgrounds, and laughing until he can’t breathe. Instead, he is confined to hospital beds, surrounded by wires, needles, and the constant reminder that he is fighting for his life. His parents cling to hope, believing fiercely that one day he will return to the carefree world he deserves.

Now, the family is pleading for help. They are fighting not only a brutal disease but also the overwhelming financial burden that stands between their child and the treatment he desperately needs. They know they cannot save him alone. Every donation, every share, every act of support is a lifeline—a chance to give Kuba the future that cancer is trying to steal from him.

“We only dream of our son’s health,” Jakub says. “We dream of the day his suffering ends. We are asking for help to save him. Five years is no time to die.”

The Kuligowski family continues to fight with everything they have. But today, they are asking others to fight alongside them—for hope, for time, and for the precious life of their little boy.