Story
Solving Kids Cancer support children and families affected by neuroblastoma, a rare and aggressive form of paediatric cancer. Every year there are around 100 new cases of neuroblastoma, predominantly in children aged 5 and below. SKC provide a range of specialist support services to families affected by neuroblastoma designed to equip them with the knowledge and resources they need to fight this disease and also the support they need afterwards whatever the outcome.
Outside of the treatment and support services they provide and fund, they also fund the ground-breaking neuroblastoma research that is essential to push treatment forward and improve outcomes for children.
And this is why Solving Kids Cancer is a charity so close to me:
In July 2009 my brother Adam was diagnosed with high-risk neuroblastoma. Like the vast majority of neuroblastoma patients Adam had an advanced form of the disease before it was discovered.
Since his diagnosis Adam was cared for by one of the country’s leading paediatric cancer care units at the Royal Marsden hospital in Sutton. During his battle he underwent surgery after surgery, had a hickman line placed in his chest to enable him to undergo 8 months of intensive chemotherapy and an array of other treatments to better his disease. To go with an abundance of pills and other medication to help keep his body functioning normally.
Over the course of Adam’s ongoing battle, we took him to Germany so he could receive treatment not available in the UK. After Germany, things appeared to brighten and a period of normality began, something that had become lost in the seemingly endless hospital visits and treatment plans. Adam managed to return to school for the first time in over 2 year, attended his first colts cricket session and did things most of us take for granted. But this didn’t last forever and it was detected that in Adam’s case the cancer did not respond well enough to treatment. Without being clear of detectable disease Adam cannot move forward to the other stages of treatment.
This took us to America for another treatment plan that again isn’t available in the UK. And after 2 visits to Michigan, tests showed that his condition was worsening and any further treatment was no longer an option. His bone marrow remained infected and scans still showed the disease spreading throughout his body.
Over the next months Adam was comfortable and supported by our family. Including a visit to Warner Bros Studios, where he met Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy from Harry Potter), as part of a Rays of Sunshine scheme in June of 2013.
Adam passed away on 11th July 2013 with our family around him.
I am running the London Marathon in memory of Adam and to help raise money for such a wonderful charity, any donations would go such a long way to help all children affected by such a horrible disease have the best chance to live a full and happy life. Something every child deserves.
Thank you for reading.