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When Krzystof Wegrzyn, 18, was born, his doctors immediately recognized that the boy had a tumor growing in his tongue.
This condition, hemangioma, is unusual because the benign tumor that’s growing is actually a mass of blood vessels.
Doctors tried to remove the vessel growth when Wegrzyn was younger, but they stopped short because they worried that he would bleed to death during the process.
Now, 18 years later, Wegrzyn’s tumor is larger than ever and causing him more problems than anyone anticipated.
Wegrzyn’s tongue is now the size of tennis ball and he can barely speak. Each night when he sleeps, he fears that his tongue might end up choking him to death.
There are doctors who can give Wegrzyn a chance of having a normal life – but these services are all only available in Germany.
Wegrzyn’s family can’t afford to pay for the travel, on top of the procedure – which costs almost $60,000.
Still, Wegrzyn remains hopeful that he will one day be able to have the procedure done.
“I saw a boy from Norway who underwent an operation there and he looked great. You could not see that he had ever been ill,” he recalled. “This is my biggest dream but I do not want to be disappointed.”
If Wegrzyn does get the procedure done one day, he dreams of completing his education, passing his driving test, and becoming a chef.
His family and friends are currently trying to raise enough money to make all of this happen for Wegrzyn.
We wish him the best of luck.
