Ukrainian Family Has Special Holiday

A family from the Ukraine celebrated a special Thanksgiving in the Atlanta area this year. The family said they got the most precious gift of all this holiday season, the life of their son.

If it wasn't for a chance meeting among strangers, the 16-year-old child would not have lived to eat dinner with his family this Thanksgiving.

Dr. Gary Stillwagon, an Atlanta radiation oncologist, was visiting the Ukraine doing charity work when he was invited to an engagement party by a friend. That's where Alexander and Nelya Kyzmych told Dr. Stillwagon about their son, Michael who had been battling an aggressive form of cancer.

"It turned out he had a deadly brain cancer. He had surgery and needed radiation treatment. But they had no way to get it there, so they were stuck and they were going to let him die because they had no chance. So all of a sudden I said, what he needs is what I do!" said Dr. Stillwagon.

Immediately, Dr. Stillwagon went to work to secure the funds and visas needed to get the live-saving procedure done here in the U.S. In a record time of six weeks, the Kyzmychs received an emergency medical visa to come to Atlanta and be treated. All of the treatments performed and paid for by Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia.

With simple radiation, not available in their country and too expensive in the U.S., Michael Kyzmych went from having no chance of surviving the cancer to being able to be in total remission.

Michael Kyzmych has started the first round of radiation and Dr. Stillwagon said the prognosis is positive.

Michael Kyzmych is a typical teen, a young man of few words, but his parents say they see the difference this gift has made.

The Ukraine, as a country doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving, but the Kyzmychs say because of the generosity of people like the doctors and even local lawmakers, they're starting a new tradition.