Our lovely little girl before being diagnosed with cancer.
Our little girl Niamh was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive childhood cancer called Neuroblastoma (Stage 4 High Risk) just before Christmas 2010 when she was just 3 years old. Since then Niamh has spent countless days and nights in hospital for treatment that has included Rapid Cojec Chemotherapy, a 4 hour operation to remove the tumor which was located on her adrenal gland, high dose chemotherapy and stem cell transplant and 14 treatments of Radiotherapy. On top of this there have been lots of blood and platelet transfusions, lots and lots of scans and general hospital visits and loads of time away from home.
Despite all this Niamh still remains the happiest, kindest, most caring little girl you will ever meet. She is always smiling and loves a huggle with her big sister Hannah or her mummy and daddy.
Things were going really well with Niamhs treatment and she started big school in September. Life was getting back to normal, well sort of. In November 2011 plans were put into place to start the final antibody treatment called Anti GD2. This gives the biggest hope of keeping the Neuroblastoma away for good. After nearly 1 year of treatment there was light at the end of the tunnel for Niamhs family.The hospital carried out all of the usual pre- treatment MIBG & MRI scans and the bone marrow biopsies. Two days before going into hospital for the Anti GD2 Niamh's parents got a phone call from the hospital that broke their hearts all over again. The cancer had come back...
We were already aware that there is no UK relapse protocol and now had to face the harsh realisation that any treatment in the UK does not aim to cure Niamh.
In the US this is not the case and there are many relapse protocols. This is where we need to take our amazing little girl to give her the best chance of survival.
The treament Niamh needs is at The Children's Hospital of Philidelphia and costs around £450'000.
You can read Niamh's blog here http://www.niamhsnextstep.com/our-journey.html for regular updates about our brave little girl.
Please donate if you can and help us save Niamh and other little ones like her.
Thank you so much for your support.. It means the world to us..
Lots of Love
Chris, Samantha, Hannah and Niamh.... Team Niamh....
You can donate to help Niamh at www.justgiving.com/NiamhsNextStep
You can follow her amazing journey on Twitter @NiamhsNextStep or
Friends request us on Facebook Niamh's Next Step
Despite all this Niamh still remains the happiest, kindest, most caring little girl you will ever meet. She is always smiling and loves a huggle with her big sister Hannah or her mummy and daddy.
Things were going really well with Niamhs treatment and she started big school in September. Life was getting back to normal, well sort of. In November 2011 plans were put into place to start the final antibody treatment called Anti GD2. This gives the biggest hope of keeping the Neuroblastoma away for good. After nearly 1 year of treatment there was light at the end of the tunnel for Niamhs family.The hospital carried out all of the usual pre- treatment MIBG & MRI scans and the bone marrow biopsies. Two days before going into hospital for the Anti GD2 Niamh's parents got a phone call from the hospital that broke their hearts all over again. The cancer had come back...
We were already aware that there is no UK relapse protocol and now had to face the harsh realisation that any treatment in the UK does not aim to cure Niamh.
In the US this is not the case and there are many relapse protocols. This is where we need to take our amazing little girl to give her the best chance of survival.
The treament Niamh needs is at The Children's Hospital of Philidelphia and costs around £450'000.
You can read Niamh's blog here http://www.niamhsnextstep.com/our-journey.html for regular updates about our brave little girl.
Please donate if you can and help us save Niamh and other little ones like her.
Thank you so much for your support.. It means the world to us..
Lots of Love
Chris, Samantha, Hannah and Niamh.... Team Niamh....
You can donate to help Niamh at www.justgiving.com/NiamhsNextStep
You can follow her amazing journey on Twitter @NiamhsNextStep or
Friends request us on Facebook Niamh's Next Step
