Update 21/08/12: Thanks to your amazing generosity Sophie has now had the operations in New York on her left and right lungs that, combined with further chemotherapy in the UK, will give her the best chance at survival. We will keep you up to date with her progress both here and once she’s back in the UK. Thanks again Xx.

Update 18/07/12: We’re extremely disappointed to say Sophie’s surgery is being re-planned, with potential cost implications, and has been delayed until August 9th. In light of this we’ve raised the fundraising target to £350,000 to try to cater for the worst case that the surgery will now cost more and that she would need an air ambulance home.

You’ve done so much already and it really is hard for us having to continue to ask for help, but anything you can do for us to help our desperate situation will make a big difference. You can read the full details of what’s happened over the last few days here.

Update 29/06/12: The support we have received to raise money for Sophie's treatment has been truly overwhelming.

We are so happy to say that he have hit our target on the team page www.justgiving.com/teams/sophierobertsstory after an incredible 6,000 donations from around the world, with even a dedicated fundraising site in France. That means we can go ahead and get Sophie the surgery that she needs to give her the best chance. We’re looking forward to later in the year when hopefully our beautiful girl will be in remission again!

If you are moved by Sophie’s story and still want to donate this would be fantastic as any excess money raised will be managed by the charity we have been working with, Kids ‘n’ Cancer, to help other children who are in situations like Sophie get a head start in getting the critical treatment they need. Some funds may be retained for Sophie by Kids 'n' Cancer, in case she requires treatment again. Should there come a time, for whatever reason, that Sophie no longer requires treatment, those funds would be made available for other children.

We’ll continue to update this blog and the various social media services we’ve been using (such as Twitter and Facebook) to let you know how Sophie’s getting on, and to let you know about fundraising events we’re running. Friends and family will continue to work hard for her cause over the coming weeks and months and anything we raise will be managed by Kids ‘n’ Cancer to help her and other children.

You can Text VVBC98 £10 to 70070 to donate to quickly and easily help Sophie.

Website: www.sophierobertsstory.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/sophierobertsstory
Twitter: www.twitter.com/sophiesstory (@SophiesStory #HelpSophie)

Our gorgeous daughter Sophie was diagnosed with liver cancer, which had spread to the lungs, in June 2011. This is a cancer that affects only a few children each year. The prognosis for children with this type of cancer is extremely poor at just 30%. Sophie bravely endured 3 rounds of traumatic chemotherapy before having liver surgery on 16th November 2011 when 25% of her liver and the entire primary tumour was removed. She then started a further 4 rounds of chemotherapy to clear the remaining tumours in her lungs and went into remission in March 2012. By this happy time she’d spent over 50 nights in hospital and a ¼ of her life suffering from a life threatening illness.

Unfortunately, our happiness and joy was short lived as the cancer returned aggressively throughout her lungs in early May. Treatment options for this kind of relapse are very limited, and she is currently being treated with new chemotherapy to control the disease. We are documenting our brave girl’s ongoing fight and treatment, to raise £230,000 to help to pay for surgery and to raise awareness of this awful rare disease. The best treatment option for Sophie is surgery; two UK surgery teams have refused to operate but luckily a team at Sloan-Kettering in New York has agreed to offer her life saving surgery. This surgery has to be privately funded by Sophie’s family, so we are asking for help with raising this money.

We have already lost several very close family and friends to cancer over the years and will do whatever it takes to ensure we do not lose anymore. Please donate and you’ll keep us fighting and hoping.

Note to donors: As long as Sophie requires the funds raised to pay for treatment in the United States, Kids ‘n’ Cancer will manage all payments of funds for the family. Should there come a time, for whatever reason, that Sophie no longer requires the funds raised for costs associated to medical treatment in America then the monies raised will be used to provide similar donations to sick and disabled children living within the UK through the charity, Kids ‘n’ Cancer.

Remember: Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never share them with anyone or send you unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. They'll make sure Gift Aid (an additional 28%) is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer, too. That means more money goes to the charity, faster, with JustGiving.