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Alexander Armstrong is raising money for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity
Participants: Alexander Armstrong
Story
“In September 2009, my friends’ daughter Nora was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer after undergoing two brain surgeries in the UAE.
After diagnosis, quick action was required to get Nora the best possible treatment. After exploring their options, Jo and Omar decided on Great Ormond Street Hospital in London where Nora underwent an extremely aggressive treatment plan consisting of 6 months of intense chemotherapy, 30 sessions of focal radiotherapy everyday under general anesthetic and high dose chemotherapy which had a huge impact on her small body. Following the intensive chemotherapy, Nora ended up in ICU at GOSH on life support for 30 days and no immunity system for 66 days putting her at risk to fatal infections.
When Nora was in ICU, I was able to visit Jo and Omar in London to see how things were going with them. I still remember a conversation I had with them one day where they updated me on Nora’s health. One thing that sticks out in my mind was their constant praise for the staff at Great Ormond Street and the fantastic support Jo and Omar felt they were receiving during Nora’s difficult treatment process.
Nora went through a lot of pain during the treatment but once she felt better, her beautiful smile came back immediately, her eyes lit up again, her hugs and kisses came back full of passion. Nora’s intense will to live was supported, as put by her parents, by the compassion and absolute professionalism of everyone at GOSH to support that will.
After being released from GOSH in June 2010, Nora is now recovering from the intense treatment she received and she is learning to walk and talk again for the third time in a year. Three months ago she was unable to move or speak, today she is crawling, climbing and walking holding someone’s hand.
This year, I am running the Dubai marathon in honor of the staff at GOSH in London and their office in Dubai. I hope that you will help me raise funds for the Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity in recognition of the compassion and absolute dedication of every single person that was involved in Nora’s treatment while she was at GOSH.”
Please dig deep ... I know I will have to if last year is anything to go by... :-)