Ukrainian leukemia patient killed in Israeli air strike while fleeing war

In the wake of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Nastya Buryk, a young girl from Odesa, was diagnosed with leukemia. Shortly after her diagnosis, her mother Mariya sought better medical treatment for Nastya in Israel, as the medical care available in their war-torn home country was inadequate. The family, seeking a semblance of normalcy and hope, spent more than two years in Israel battling the illness alongside the fear of conflict. Unfortunately, their hopes were shattered when Iran launched attacks against Israel, and they found themselves on the wrong side of violence once again. While in Israel, the family encountered persistent challenges, including fundraising to cover the exorbitant medical costs associated with Nastya's treatment. Mariya utilized social media to raise awareness of their plight, sharing updates about their life in the conflict-laden environment. As air raids and sirens became a terrifying norm, they remained resolute and hopeful about Nastya's recovery while facing the additional threat of conflict. Tragedy struck when an Iranian air strike targeted the vicinity where Nastya and her family had been staying. They were directly impacted by the missile attack. Among those who perished were Nastya, her mother Mariya, her grandmother Olena, and two young cousins who were visiting them. The devastating news was relayed to Nastya's father, Artem Buryk by a family member, further emphasizing the shocking circumstance of a family already fleeing one war only to become victims of another. The violent end to their struggle evokes a deep sense of outrage and grief as it highlights the brutal reality faced by those displaced by conflict. Inna Bakhareva, co-founder of the Chance4Life charity, expressed deep sorrow at the loss and outrage that such a family, earnestly seeking treatment and safety, could be caught in the crossfire of geopolitical conflicts, echoing the larger narrative of innocent lives affected by war.