Robyn is fighting for her life, you can help make a difference, today!
In May of this year beautiful 7yr old Robyn was diagnosed with Stage 4 Neuroblastoma. In the very same month the 7 year old son of a colleague died of this childhood cancer.
The disease is in Robyn's pelvis and her bone marrow.
Treatment has consisted of 10 rounds of chemotherapy, intravenous antibiotics, regular blood and platelet transfusions, stem cell harvests and numerous scans and bone marrow biopsies. Last month she underwent a 9 hour operation to remove the main tumour which had wrapped itself around various nerves within her pelvis and spine. Since diagnosis, Robyn's life has gone from being a happy loving child to an exhausted girl fighting for her life. Since May, the majority of her life has been spent in hospital. She is currently undergoing High Dose chemotheray, a cocktail of drugs to aggressive that an adult body could not withstand them, it is designed to kill the cancer cells in her body.
Unfortunately high dose chemo cannot differentiate between good and bad cells, it will wipe out both, the result is 8 weeks inpatient suffering from VOD (a painful infection brought about by High Dose chemotherapy) which has left Robyn in constant and continual sickness, with no appetite and little sleep due to constant vomiting, diarrohea and mucositis through both day and night. Then she will undergo radiation.
Having gone through all of this, Robyn's prognosis remains at less than 40% survival in the next 2 years. If the cancer returns, there are no curative options in the United Kingdom. Unfortunately the chance of relapse with Neuroblastoma is high, leading to such low rates of survival.
Preventative antibody treatment which could save Robyn's life, is currently not available in the UK. Robyn is 7 years old, she asks questions, she understands and is willing to fight this battle, she understands people care .....but this battle could simply be the start of a war, a war only she can lead.
Robyn needs GD2 antibodies [3F8] which would increase her chance of survival from 40% to 70%; this treatment is only available at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering hospital in New York City. This treatment must be given at the same time as the final phase of the High Dose chemotherapy - the cost is £300,000. Robyn would be eligible for this treatment in January. Time is not on our side, we need to raise this money to give this very brave little girl who has fought so courageously, the chance she desperately needs and deserves. Robyn wants to fight, she wants to win. She deserves this chance to live.
On 5th December 2009 a group of Metropolitan police officers will cycle through the night, 170 miles around the Metropolitan Police District of London. Their aim is to raise funds to help Robyn get the treatment that could save her life, in the United States. Every penny counts. Please donate..... no amount is too small. Every penny you give will go to treatment costs only - not to expenses, not to administration costs, every penny, every pound you give is very gratefully appreciated.
By donating through J-A-C-K foundation at 2simpletrust we are able to claim gift-aid.
Please help us, help save Robyn's life.
