I could describe myself as a box of chocolates, each piece representing a different illness. Some are bitter, some unexpectedly sweet, but none can be ignored. I have been through so much that it is difficult to even recount it all, yet each day still holds uncertainty. No one knows what tomorrow will bring, and I have learned that the future can change in an instant. Every day is a challenge — a test of endurance and resilience, waiting to see how my body will respond to what life throws at me. I might say I’m no longer afraid, but that would not be true. I am afraid. I am afraid because I know life isn’t finished with me yet. I am afraid every single day. I am afraid because I have learned that illness is relentless, and even the smallest change in my health can have life-altering consequences.
My name is Sylwia Bentkowska. I am 24 years old, and I have lived my entire life with cystic fibrosis and diabetes. These illnesses have shaped me in ways that are both visible and invisible. They have taught me resilience, patience, and the limits of the human body. On November 7, 2018, my body reached a critical point. My lungs, ravaged by cystic fibrosis, could no longer sustain me. I underwent one of the most serious operations imaginable — a double-lung transplant. My condition was extremely serious, the surgery highly complicated, and my chances of survival minimal. I was placed in a coma for a week. Doctors did not expect me to make it. And yet, I survived. I fought, and I reminded myself in that sterile, white hospital room that it was not yet my time to die.
The period following surgery was grueling. I underwent relentless rehabilitation, treatments, and inhalation therapies. Each day was filled with exercises, medications, and strict routines, all of which were crucial for my recovery. After two and a half months, I was finally able to leave the hospital and return to my family. The relief was immense. The joy of being home was overshadowed, however, by the reality that the surgery had not cured me. It had only extended my life — a temporary reprieve that brought with it new challenges. For someone in their twenties, facing the prospect that simply surviving to see thirty could be considered an achievement is both humbling and frightening.
Since my surgery, my health has continued to deteriorate in ways I could not have imagined. My liver and kidneys have begun to fail, and a liver transplant is likely in my future. The operation, while life-saving, placed a tremendous strain on my body, leaving me physically weaker than before. My immune system has been compromised, making me highly susceptible to infections. And, as if the physical burdens were not enough, I have experienced episodes of depression, anxiety, and emotional fatigue that accompany chronic illness. After extensive tests and a bone marrow biopsy, I discovered I also suffer from neutropenia — a dangerously low white blood cell count. For the rest of my life, I will need expensive injections to increase my white blood cells and constant care from a hematologist.
The financial burden of this ongoing battle is staggering. Fighting cystic fibrosis, managing diabetes, recovering from major surgery, and addressing complications such as neutropenia requires significant resources. I cannot work in my current condition. The treatments, medications, and specialist consultations are beyond my personal means. Even basic necessities for my survival, such as proper medications, infusion treatments, and hospital visits, are a financial struggle. Without assistance, it would be impossible to continue receiving the care that keeps me alive.
Despite all of this, I refuse to give up. I want to live my remaining years as fully and as joyfully as possible. Every day I survive is a victory. Every step forward, no matter how small, is proof that life is worth fighting for. I dream of moments that many people take for granted — of walking outside without fear of infection, of spending time with friends and family, of enjoying the simple pleasures that make life meaningful. I know that none of these things are guaranteed, but I fight every day to make them possible.
This is why I am asking for your help. Every donation, no matter how small, allows me to continue fighting, to access the treatments that sustain me, and to find hope in the face of uncertainty. Your support does not just provide medication or medical procedures — it gives me a chance to live fully, despite the odds. It gives me the strength to keep going, to face each day with courage, and to continue defying what my illnesses might dictate.
I know that life will continue to challenge me. I know that the road ahead is long, difficult, and uncertain. But with your help, I can continue to fight. With your support, I can focus on surviving, on living, and on finding joy in every possible moment. Every day I live is a triumph, and every kind gesture allows me to extend that triumph further. I am grateful for every person who reads my story, who considers helping, and who reminds me that I am not alone in this fight.
Sylwia Bentkowska