When Stan and Natalia Tarasenkov packed up their life in Oregon and moved their four children to Iowa, they imagined a fresh start. What they never imagined was how quickly their lives would be turned upside down.
Just weeks after arriving, their 18-month-old son Matthew became alarmingly ill. What started as a visit to an urgent care clinic led to a whirlwind of tests, fear, and finally—devastating news.
Matthew had AML leukemia.
“Our whole world turned upside down. We were shocked and devastated. The timing couldn’t have been worse.”
The family didn’t even have a home of their own yet—they were staying with relatives while trying to rebuild their life. Suddenly, all plans were paused. Everything became about saving Matthew.
At Blank Children’s Hospital, Matthew was admitted for intensive chemotherapy. Natalia stayed by his side around the clock, while their three other children remained with family members. Stan worked as many hours as he could while driving back and forth—torn between providing for his family and wanting to be at Matthew’s bedside.
They were doing everything they could, but the emotional and financial strain was enormous.
That’s when their hospital social worker told them about the Variety Compassion Fund.
It changed everything.
“The Compassion Fund helped us find temporary lodging and made it easier for us to stay together. It felt like we were a family again.”
For the first time in months, they felt a weight lift.
The Compassion Fund eased one of their biggest worries, giving them stability in a moment when life felt completely out of control.
“It felt like a tremendous weight was lifted from our shoulders,” Stan says. “Knowing we were being taken care of—knowing that people out there care enough to donate—gave us one less big problem to worry about.”
Stan still struggles to find the right words for the donors who made it possible:
“Words cannot describe how thankful we are. People who donate to the Compassion Fund are genuine superheroes.”
And to those thinking about donating, he says simply:
“Just like a mother cares… you’ll never regret helping.”
Your gift keeps families together when it matters most.
The Variety Compassion Fund supports families of critically ill children—easing mental, emotional, and financial burdens during the hardest moments of their lives.
