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Toddler's Life Shattered by Rare Cancer Diagnosis
3 Jun
Summary
- A one-year-old girl was diagnosed with high-risk neuroblastoma.
- The cancer had already spread to her skull, spine, and bone marrow.
- Her family is raising £300,000 for potentially life-saving treatment in the US.
James and Sophie's world was shattered when their one-year-old daughter, Ottilie, was diagnosed with high-risk neuroblastoma in May. This rare childhood cancer had already spread to her skull, spine, and bone marrow.
Ottilie, described as a 'sassy', 'happy', and 'beautiful' girl, faces 12 to 18 months of grueling treatment. This includes chemotherapy, surgery, blood transfusions, a stem cell transplant, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy. Her family, from Derbyshire, are actively fundraising £300,000 for future, potentially life-saving treatment in the US.
Doctors have indicated a 30% to 50% survival rate with Ottilie's current treatment plan. The family hopes she can participate in a vaccine trial in New York after her UK treatment concludes. This trial aims to prevent relapse, a significant risk for children with high-risk neuroblastoma.
The diagnosis came swiftly after a doctor's visit on May 8, leading to an immediate CT scan and referral to a specialist. Within hours, the family received the devastating news. Ottilie underwent multiple tests and procedures, including five general anesthetics and surgery for a biopsy, confirming the cancer had originated in her kidney and spread widely.
