Elizabeth Winters
Chloe is getting it all cut off for Kaleigh's 'medicine in Mexico'
Fundraising for The Bradley Lowery Foundation
Story
Our daughter Chloe’s friend Kaleigh, was tragically diagnosed in April last year, with an aggressive but most devastatingly, inoperable, brain tumour. This absolute monster of a disease goes by the name of Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG). It hand on heart is the cruellest cancer I have ever heard of. To summarise briefly, it is the most fatal form of brain tumours, primarily affecting 4-10 year olds. There is currently no known curative treatment and these poor children are given on average, a prognosis of 9 months survival from diagnosis.
After being dealt the cruellest blow in life and told there is no hope for their precious daughter, Kaleighs inspirational mum and dad have quite literally gone out and found it. Scott and Yang found an experimental treatment in Mexico that Kaleigh is now a part of, along with children from all over the world that have since followed in her footsteps. They are world firsts and are achieving miracles in Monterrey in terms of medical milestones for DIPG. Kaleighs current treatment plan consists of intra-arterial (IA) chemotherapy approximately every couple of months. At £13,000 a treatment (£9,000 drugs/doctors fees + £4,000 hospital/clinic) it is incredibly expensive. These costs are not inclusive of the travelling and accommodation costs each session either, its £13,000 each time, purely for the treatment alone.
Anyone who knows Kaleigh or meets her just the one time, will witness instantly that she’s a special little girl. Both before and after her diagnosis, she literally is the sweetest kid and just lights up a room. She’s never let it reflect in her character all that she is having to cope with, she's seriously astounding! I know it shouldn’t matter, as honestly no child should ever have to go through what Kaleigh is going through, but when its happening to a truly wonderful little lady and such a lovely little family, it makes it all the more heartbreaking witnessing what they are all going through and even attempting to comprehend why such tragic circumstances are burdened upon such wonderful people.
Feeling compelled ourselves to help, when Chloe came up to Matt and I out of the blue saying she wants to raise money to, in her words, “help my friend get better” we were all ears and asked for her ideas. She said she wanted to do something to raise money for Kaleighs ‘medicine in Mexico’ as she refers to it and had decided that she will cut off ALL of her hair! Chloe is determined to get it cut ‘as short as Daddy,’ although we won’t hold her to that! The prospect of not having to have her hair brushed and styled daily is extremely appealing to her and hasn’t gone unmentioned let me tell you! It might even mean she's early to school too for a change, so not an entirely selfless act ;-) She is being very courageous and has already started planning on ‘ignoring anyone who teases her’ for her new choice of hairstyle, showing true bravery and spirit, just like her awe inspiring friend.
We would really appreciate if you could encourage her kind efforts by sponsoring her to do this. Please give whatever you can to help give her beautiful, sweet friend the opportunity to continue her treatment in Mexico and a chance at life.
By teaming together, there is a real chance that this tragic prognosis for Kaleigh and future children diagnosed with this horrific cancer can be changed.
Thank you
#teamkaleigh #hopeinmexico #makehistorynotmemories
* Please read any UPDATES *
_______________________________________________________
To be told, your child has DIPG, go make memories, is to be told basically that there is no hope. This isn’t surprising as the prognosis for this cancer hasn’t changed in well over a generation as so little has been done to find a cure. Historically only 1% of the UK national cancer research spend has been invested in brain tumours. 15 years ago Leukaemia used to kill more children than brain tumours. Now thankfully because of all the money invested, over 94% of children survive Leukaemia, which is an increase of 90% from 50 years ago. This is a miraculous change in statistics but unfortunately for children diagnosed with DIPG and their families, there has been no increase in the 0% 5yr+ survival outcome in that same 50 years!
Please can I also ask that you take just a couple of minutes to sign the Childhood Brain Cancer Petition to address the lack of critical funding on a government level and to raise awareness of DIPG.
We have to fight for these kids, for their future, for even just a hope of one.
Supported by The Bradley Lowery Foundation*
*The Bradley Lowery foundation has been set up to help families who need to fund raise for treatment or equipment, not available on the NHS. We will support families through their fundraising campaign in order to help achieve their targets. We offer not only support, but grants where eligible
After being dealt the cruellest blow in life and told there is no hope for their precious daughter, Kaleighs inspirational mum and dad have quite literally gone out and found it. Scott and Yang found an experimental treatment in Mexico that Kaleigh is now a part of, along with children from all over the world that have since followed in her footsteps. They are world firsts and are achieving miracles in Monterrey in terms of medical milestones for DIPG. Kaleighs current treatment plan consists of intra-arterial (IA) chemotherapy approximately every couple of months. At £13,000 a treatment (£9,000 drugs/doctors fees + £4,000 hospital/clinic) it is incredibly expensive. These costs are not inclusive of the travelling and accommodation costs each session either, its £13,000 each time, purely for the treatment alone.
Anyone who knows Kaleigh or meets her just the one time, will witness instantly that she’s a special little girl. Both before and after her diagnosis, she literally is the sweetest kid and just lights up a room. She’s never let it reflect in her character all that she is having to cope with, she's seriously astounding! I know it shouldn’t matter, as honestly no child should ever have to go through what Kaleigh is going through, but when its happening to a truly wonderful little lady and such a lovely little family, it makes it all the more heartbreaking witnessing what they are all going through and even attempting to comprehend why such tragic circumstances are burdened upon such wonderful people.
Feeling compelled ourselves to help, when Chloe came up to Matt and I out of the blue saying she wants to raise money to, in her words, “help my friend get better” we were all ears and asked for her ideas. She said she wanted to do something to raise money for Kaleighs ‘medicine in Mexico’ as she refers to it and had decided that she will cut off ALL of her hair! Chloe is determined to get it cut ‘as short as Daddy,’ although we won’t hold her to that! The prospect of not having to have her hair brushed and styled daily is extremely appealing to her and hasn’t gone unmentioned let me tell you! It might even mean she's early to school too for a change, so not an entirely selfless act ;-) She is being very courageous and has already started planning on ‘ignoring anyone who teases her’ for her new choice of hairstyle, showing true bravery and spirit, just like her awe inspiring friend.
We would really appreciate if you could encourage her kind efforts by sponsoring her to do this. Please give whatever you can to help give her beautiful, sweet friend the opportunity to continue her treatment in Mexico and a chance at life.
By teaming together, there is a real chance that this tragic prognosis for Kaleigh and future children diagnosed with this horrific cancer can be changed.
Thank you
#teamkaleigh #hopeinmexico #makehistorynotmemories
* Please read any UPDATES *
_______________________________________________________
To be told, your child has DIPG, go make memories, is to be told basically that there is no hope. This isn’t surprising as the prognosis for this cancer hasn’t changed in well over a generation as so little has been done to find a cure. Historically only 1% of the UK national cancer research spend has been invested in brain tumours. 15 years ago Leukaemia used to kill more children than brain tumours. Now thankfully because of all the money invested, over 94% of children survive Leukaemia, which is an increase of 90% from 50 years ago. This is a miraculous change in statistics but unfortunately for children diagnosed with DIPG and their families, there has been no increase in the 0% 5yr+ survival outcome in that same 50 years!
Please can I also ask that you take just a couple of minutes to sign the Childhood Brain Cancer Petition to address the lack of critical funding on a government level and to raise awareness of DIPG.
We have to fight for these kids, for their future, for even just a hope of one.
Supported by The Bradley Lowery Foundation*
*The Bradley Lowery foundation has been set up to help families who need to fund raise for treatment or equipment, not available on the NHS. We will support families through their fundraising campaign in order to help achieve their targets. We offer not only support, but grants where eligible
