Helping children get the meds they need to fight cancer
Why it matters
Every year more than 27,000 children with cancer receive their treatment in Russian hospitals no matter what is happening in the country and the world. The project Meds4Kids emerged thanks to the experience of Podari Life (USA) to provide young cancer patients in Russian hospitals with medications that are not available in Russia and have no Russian equivalent.
We pay for medications directly against the invoice of the supplier. It takes an average of 2 days to receive payment from the EU- or US-based bank account, while payments from Russia can easily take 7 banking days.
Due to changing sanctions regulations, foreign medical suppliers prefer to minimize the risks and avoid trade with Russian entities. Working with foreign charities will exclude these risks whatsoever.
>100
>500
children
need our help every year
is necessary to buy medicines every year
thousand dollars
About us
Breaking down borders to help children together.
Meds4Kids - an international project procuring foreign medications for children in Russia, responds to the challenges of the new times. The present-day political and economic environment has had a negative impact on medical supply operations. It has been more difficult, time-consuming and expensive to deliver medications from Europe to Russia. But together we can overcome all borders and help children who are fighting cancer - right now. Only by working together as a team can we break down these barriers in aid of children battling cancer.
Podari Life carry out this project in collaboration with the Podari Zhizn Foundation ("Подари Жизнь").
Podari Life carry out this project in collaboration with the Podari Zhizn Foundation ("Подари Жизнь").
The Podari Life Inc. was founded in the US in 2015 aiming to leverage American medical expertise in cancer therapy and to fundraise for foreign medications necessary for cancer treatment. Other Podari.Life Inc. programmes include professional training and education for pediatric oncologists and paying for the costs associated with working with the Stefan Morsch Foundation, one of Europe's largest bone marrow donor registries. Over the years, the value of the programs implemented by the charity exceeded $2,000,000.
Podari Life is sister charity of Podari Zhizn, a leading Russian foundation helping children with oncological and haematological diseases since 2006. Through the charities’ collaboration, , purchasing and delivery of foreign medications from the West countries to Russia has been simplified and streamlined. See "How the project works" for more details).
For more about the charities, their reports and contact details follow the links : Podari Life, Podari Zhizn.
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How it works
Meds4Kids assists in purchasing life-saving medications from the Western suppliers for children with cancer and serious blood disorders to support their treatment in Russian hospitals.
We receive an application from a Russian hospital
We buy the drug from a European supplier
We send the drug by a transport company to a Russian hospital for a child
Determining patients needs
Foreign charities can offer more effective solutions to the problem
Determining patients needs
A Board of paediatric oncologists and medical experts reviews every application for medical support to determine the most appropriate treatment for each individual case. Once the hospital’s request to import the prescribed medication is approved by the Russian Ministry of Health, an application for funding goes to the Podari Zhizn Foundation in Russia. Podari Zhizn in its turn, coordinates payment with the Meds4Kids partner charities, Gift of Life in the UK and Podari Life in the USA. Following this, the medication supplier based in Europe or other Western counties is paid by the invoice in foreign currencies using the funds raised by Meds4Kids. Our logistics partners, currently DHL/Deutsche Post, ensure the medication’s cross-border delivery to the hospitals as well as custom clearance in Russia, upholding all transportation conditions. The delivery costs to Russia are covered by Podari Zhizn as local expenses.
Foreign charities can offer more effective solutions to the problem
Speed: twhile the need for life-saving foreign medications is often immediate, international payments from Russia have been critically delayed recently;
Cost: with volatile exchange rates and hefty transfer fees, paying for medications from Russia can be prohibitively expensive;
Unavailability of medications: these foreign meds are not available in Russia and must be sourced from European suppliers for each cancer patient individually;
Risk minimisation: due to the sanctions restrictions, European and the US pharmaceutical suppliers are reluctant to engage in direct trade with Russian entities; trading with foreign charities eliminates these concerns.
Disclaimer: The Meds4Kids project never transfers any monetary funds to Russia. Instead, we solely facilitate the provision of foreign medications to Russian hospitals.
Cost: with volatile exchange rates and hefty transfer fees, paying for medications from Russia can be prohibitively expensive;
Unavailability of medications: these foreign meds are not available in Russia and must be sourced from European suppliers for each cancer patient individually;
Risk minimisation: due to the sanctions restrictions, European and the US pharmaceutical suppliers are reluctant to engage in direct trade with Russian entities; trading with foreign charities eliminates these concerns.
Disclaimer: The Meds4Kids project never transfers any monetary funds to Russia. Instead, we solely facilitate the provision of foreign medications to Russian hospitals.
The medications we need the most
In pediatric oncology, managing complications and side effects of treatment is as crucial as combating the cancer itself. More often than not these adverse effects pose a direct life threat. To help young cancer patients with such conditions, Meds4Kids is dedicated to securing a monetary reserve for purchasing some critical medications which have no local registration in Russia, lack any local alternatives, and remain unavailable in Russia for purchase:
Defitelio
Foscavir
Cidofovir
Initiating Defitelio therapy promptly for children with severe hepatic veno-occlusive disease (VOD) has proved to dramatically reduce post-transplant mortality rates. In those cases where the risk of VOD is exceedingly high, Defitelio is prescribed as a vital component of preventative therapy. The price of one vial of Defitelio is 566 euro.
Following bone marrow transplantation, patients are highly susceptible to viral infections, even those typically innocuous to healthy people. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is one such common and serious concern. With limited effective treatments available in Russia, such as ganciclovir, which often proves inadequate, European-supplied Foscavir can be a critical alternative with 90% effectiveness against moderate viral infection and 66% against severe viral infection. The price of one vial of Foscavir is 270 euro.
This medication plays an integral part in curing patients with cytomegalovirus and adenovirus infections. It leads to clinical improvement in 80% of cases involving severe viral infections. To enhance patient tolerance, Probenecid, another medication not registered in Russia, is occasionally employed to mitigate Cidofovir's toxicity. The price of one vial of Cidofovir is 1,305 euros, Probenecid - 70 euros.
Number of vials
we paid for in 2025:
Defitelio
Foscavir
Cidofovir
500
10
50
240
300
174
Help now
Multi-currency payments are available on the site. A tax deduction is possible for US taxpayers.
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Other ways to help
One of the most effective ways to support us is through matching donations: the company you work for can double your donation to us.
How does it work? If your employer supports matching donations, you can select the Podari.Life Inc (EIN# 47-4165470), and then your company will add the same amount, and all this money will go towards buying medicines. This is not even a double benefit; it is a benefit with geometric progression.
And be sure to tell your colleagues who are also ready to support our common goal about this opportunity: any child who needs medicine should receive it and receive it on time.
Most large international companies already support Podari.Life, but if you haven't found us in your donation doubling system, please let us know.
How does it work? If your employer supports matching donations, you can select the Podari.Life Inc (EIN# 47-4165470), and then your company will add the same amount, and all this money will go towards buying medicines. This is not even a double benefit; it is a benefit with geometric progression.
And be sure to tell your colleagues who are also ready to support our common goal about this opportunity: any child who needs medicine should receive it and receive it on time.
Most large international companies already support Podari.Life, but if you haven't found us in your donation doubling system, please let us know.
By listing items for sale on eBay, you can choose what percentage of the proceeds will be donated to Meds4Kids. Turn your unwanted items into hope for children!
Supporting Meds4Kids is easy: create a listing, select "Donate a portion to charity", find Podari.Life Inc (EIN 47-4165470) and specify the donation percentage. Sellers receive a discount on the sales commission corresponding to the selected donation percentage. By the way, you will receive not only a reduced commission, but also a tax deduction for this part of the donation from PayPal GF*, which supports us.
According to statistics, listings with donations attract more attention and goods sell faster.
Join the sellers already supporting Meds4Kids!
Our page on eBay: https://www.charity.ebay.com/charity/i/Podari.Life-Inc/94135
* eBay covers the cost of donation processing so 100% of every donation collected and transferred by PayPal Giving Fund reaches the donor's chosen charity organization. And because PayPal Giving Fund is a nonprofit itself, 100% of your donation amount is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Supporting Meds4Kids is easy: create a listing, select "Donate a portion to charity", find Podari.Life Inc (EIN 47-4165470) and specify the donation percentage. Sellers receive a discount on the sales commission corresponding to the selected donation percentage. By the way, you will receive not only a reduced commission, but also a tax deduction for this part of the donation from PayPal GF*, which supports us.
According to statistics, listings with donations attract more attention and goods sell faster.
Join the sellers already supporting Meds4Kids!
Our page on eBay: https://www.charity.ebay.com/charity/i/Podari.Life-Inc/94135
* eBay covers the cost of donation processing so 100% of every donation collected and transferred by PayPal Giving Fund reaches the donor's chosen charity organization. And because PayPal Giving Fund is a nonprofit itself, 100% of your donation amount is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Organize your own fundraiser on Facebook or Instagram - it's very simple.
To create a fundraiser on your Facebook page, you need to follow the link.
Indicate how much you want to raise, the title and the text, which is the best way to explain why you are asking your friends to donate money to Meds4Kids / Podari.Life.
You can also share existing campaigns by selecting them from the fund's page facebook.com/meds4kidsPL. Be sure to invite your friends to join and support with a donation, like or repost.
To create a fundraiser on your Facebook page, you need to follow the link.
Indicate how much you want to raise, the title and the text, which is the best way to explain why you are asking your friends to donate money to Meds4Kids / Podari.Life.
You can also share existing campaigns by selecting them from the fund's page facebook.com/meds4kidsPL. Be sure to invite your friends to join and support with a donation, like or repost.
Ready to make a difference and hold a fundraiser in aid of Meds4Kids? A vibrant sports challenge, a cozy house party, an informative master class - share your ideas with us. Together we can craft an event that not only raises vital funds but also unites a community of compassionate supporters.
Contact us
Write to us
Persons of the project
News
Right after Halloween, on November 1, a small group of caring people gathered in a private California home to talk about what truly matters and share stories from their lives in a warm, welcoming atmosphere.
Many thanks to the organizers — the Davydov family, Olga Zhuravskaya, and all the guests of the evening. The donations collected, totaling $7,294, were transferred to Meds4Kids to purchase Foscavir for children in need!
Many thanks to the organizers — the Davydov family, Olga Zhuravskaya, and all the guests of the evening. The donations collected, totaling $7,294, were transferred to Meds4Kids to purchase Foscavir for children in need!
A charity discussion evening featuring American studies scholar Professor Ivan Kurilla, historian Rada Landar, and many guests took place on June 22, 2025, in Boston.
Not far from Boston, in Salem, the infamous witch trials took place at the end of the 17th century — and that history became the focus of the evening’s conversation. The discussion explored how societies, past and present, often repeat the same mistakes: seeking someone to blame, projecting fear and anger onto others, and following suspicion instead of asking questions.
The event helped Meds4Kids raise over $4,000 to purchase Foscavir and Defitelio for one-year-old Larisa, who is battling a primary immunodeficiency.
To mark the occasion, a special 2026 calendar featuring unique photographs by Fima Furman was created. The calendar is available for purchase on the Podari.Life website.
Heartfelt thanks to all the organizers and participants for making this meaningful evening possible!
Not far from Boston, in Salem, the infamous witch trials took place at the end of the 17th century — and that history became the focus of the evening’s conversation. The discussion explored how societies, past and present, often repeat the same mistakes: seeking someone to blame, projecting fear and anger onto others, and following suspicion instead of asking questions.
The event helped Meds4Kids raise over $4,000 to purchase Foscavir and Defitelio for one-year-old Larisa, who is battling a primary immunodeficiency.
To mark the occasion, a special 2026 calendar featuring unique photographs by Fima Furman was created. The calendar is available for purchase on the Podari.Life website.
Heartfelt thanks to all the organizers and participants for making this meaningful evening possible!
The launch of the Meds4Kids project in 2024 proved to be successful, and the results speak for themselves: more than 60 children received vital medications. The total cost of the medications provided exceeded $700,000 USD!
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This past August, Helsinki (Finland) hosted a charity screening of the film "Patient No. 1." We are truly grateful to the filmmakers and producers for giving us such a wonderful gift by allowing us to hold this screening for charity. The screening was organized by volunteers who are passionate about the meds4.kids mission. Thanks to this initiative, we were able to raise 3,147€ for 10-year-old Deni's treatment. Big thanks to our friends who organized the event and to those who came to the screening and supported us.
June 1 is International Children's Day. Together with you, we help children who are fighting cancer - we pay for the medicines they urgently need to overcome the disease. Since the beginning of the year, Meds4Kids has purchased $202,273 worth of medicines for 29 children. The following number of vials were purchased and sent to hospitals: Defitelio - 270, Uromitexan - 59, Desferal - 19, Cidofovir - 2, Foscavir - 30, Idarubicin - 16, and Eto-GRY - 38.
In April, Denver, Colorado hosted another meeting of the international community of Russian-speaking entrepreneurs in the technology sector - Tech Flow. Traditionally, a portion of the fees collected from the participants was donated to charity, namely, the purchase of medicines for children - to Meds4Kids.
In late April 2024, four US cities—Boston, Miami, San Francisco, and San Jose—hosted charity screenings of the film "The Master and Margarita." Thanks to this event, we were able to raise $38,430, which will be used to purchase medicines for the treatment of childhood cancer.
We express our deepest gratitude to the filmmakers and producers for the opportunity to hold screenings for charitable purposes, and we are also sincerely grateful to everyone who came to the screenings. These screenings were also made possible thanks to the support of our volunteers, who helped organize events in four cities almost simultaneously.
Your contribution helps us get closer to our goal of providing access to treatment for every child!
We express our deepest gratitude to the filmmakers and producers for the opportunity to hold screenings for charitable purposes, and we are also sincerely grateful to everyone who came to the screenings. These screenings were also made possible thanks to the support of our volunteers, who helped organize events in four cities almost simultaneously.
Your contribution helps us get closer to our goal of providing access to treatment for every child!