The family of a Belarusian football referee faced an unexpected misfortune: a serious illness of their little son
The family of Belarusian football referee Dmitry Markov and his wife Olga are facing a difficult challenge — their two-year-old son Matvey is battling a rare malignant brain tumor, writes "Onliner".
Matvey was born in 2023 a little prematurely but grew up a healthy, active, and cheerful child. His parents recall that he quickly caught up with his peers in development, loved active games and football. The family affectionately called him "bun" and "patty", but the boy himself always replied: "No, I am Markov Matvey, a boy."
The first alarming symptoms appeared this spring. During a walk, the boy's leg suddenly stopped obeying for several tens of seconds. After that, he walked again as if nothing had happened. At first, the parents thought the child had simply twisted his leg or was tired. They consulted several neurologists, but all of them concluded that the body simply lacked vitamins.
After some time, such incidents began to recur more and more often. One of the doctors advised the parents to record these episodes on video. After reviewing the recording, she insisted on an MRI. The examination showed that the child had a tumor in the brain, approximately 2.7 centimeters in size. It was located in the area responsible for limb movements.
The boy was urgently hospitalized in the Republican Scientific and Practical Center for Neurosurgery. Doctors immediately warned the parents that the operation would be very difficult. Due to the tumor's location, there was a high risk that the child could remain paralyzed after surgery. The operation was performed using a special robotic system that allows for the most accurate removal of neoplasms without damaging important areas of the brain.
On May 28, Matvey's tumor was successfully removed. According to the father, waiting for the operation results was the most difficult moment in the family's life. When the neurosurgeon announced that the tumor had been removed and the child would live, the parents felt immense relief.
After the operation, Matvey recovered quickly. He started running, playing, and smiling again. Even hospital staff were surprised that such an active boy was in the neurosurgical department. But ten days later, the results of the tumor tissue examination came in. It turned out to be malignant, although no metastases were found.
Belarusian specialists conducted the necessary research, but could not accurately determine the type of tumor. According to the preliminary conclusion, the boy has a very rare and aggressive malignant neoplasm with a complex cellular structure. Due to the exceptional rarity of the case, the material was sent to a specialized center in Germany. The parents are awaiting a definitive diagnosis, as foreign clinics cannot begin treatment without it.
To avoid losing time, doctors have already started a course of chemotherapy, which should slow down the tumor's growth. After receiving the results from Germany, the family plans to go to one of the clinics in Switzerland as soon as possible, where proton therapy is carried out — a modern method of treating brain tumors not available in Belarus.
According to preliminary estimates, the cost of treatment could be around 250,000 euros. To date, the family has managed to collect only a small part of the necessary amount, so they have opened a charitable account and are asking for help from caring people.
At the end of June, Dmitry Markov, together with his son, went onto the field before a Belarusian championship match between Brest "Dynamo" and "Minsk". At first glance, it looked like a traditional pre-match ceremony, but in reality, the referee wanted to talk about his son's illness and draw people's attention to the need for help.
Despite the difficult life situation, Dmitry continues to referee football matches. He admits that it helps him cope, and most importantly, it makes Matvey very happy. The boy, while in the hospital, proudly points his father out on television and tells everyone: "That's my dad Dima."
The parents do not hide that a long and very difficult struggle awaits them. However, they believe that even with a minimal chance of success, they will do everything possible for their son to recover.
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