Young Croatian girl needs help to get to America for life-saving treatment

29 March 2019 – A massive nationwide fundraising campaign is currently going on in Croatia to help a young girl fighting for her life with leukaemia.

Mila is almost 2 years old and has been in the Children’s Hospital Kantrida in Rijeka fighting leukaemia (acute myelogenous megakaryocytic leukemia AML M7) for the last year. 

In Europe, successful continuation of treatment is not possible and Mila’s last chance of survival is treatment at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. The cost of the treatment is estimated at about $2.8 million. 

With only a few days to raise the large amount of money required, a coordinated media campaign in Croatia to help Mila get to America was launched last night and there has been a huge response from the country. After less than 24 hours more than half of the money has been raised with donations from all over Croatia and abroad.

Mila’s parents, Marin and Sanja Rončević have received thousands of emails, messages and phone calls since the fundraising started. 

“She has to receive the therapy urgently and she will start receiving it here. Clofarabine, which is given in this case, is given for the first time in Croatia. The Commission has approved it and no one has had any problems. She will receive it here but we do not know if she will survive, or in what condition she will be in a month,” her father Marin told HRT, adding that if they can raise the required funds they will head to America.

The family is selling their home and Marin’s parents are also selling their weekend home to help raise money to help save their daughter. A crowdfunding campaign has also been launched today to try and help as every dollar is welcomed and every minute is important due to Mila’s condition. 

You can visit the crowdfunding page and make a donation for Mila by clicking here. 

If you would however feel more comfortable making donation directly to the account for Mila’s treatment, please make a payment to:

ACCOUNT: HR3641330063110002644 to Marin Rončević (address: Marin Roncevic, Hreljin 33B, 51226 Hreljin, Croatia) payment description – “Gift for Health Care of Mila Rončević treatment”. 
BIC/SWIFT: SKOVHR22
Bank name: Banka Kovanica d.d.,Varazdin