There is a little boy that goes to Sophie's school that has been given the devastating news that he has stage 4 brain tumour, Diagnosed with medulloblastoma, a type of malignant brain tumour and life limiting condition, the tumour has broken up and traveled down his spine. The outlook is bleak and the plan was to start aggressive chemotherapeutic approach followed by radiotherapy and then move to chemotherapy as well as stem cell harvest.
On the 10 December 2012 Alexander was due another operation to fit a Hickman line into his chest. But in the early hours of the morning he suddenly developed a severe debilitating headache with further symptoms of raised intracranial pressure. A Ct scan revealed a rapid progression of the tumour since the 28th November. Whereas before he may only have months or weeks to live, it was now days.
To alleviate Alexander's symptoms and save his life, his neurosurgeon would have to remove as much of the tumour as possible but due to its position could leave him with severe complications and disability. Remarkably Alaxander recovered from that operation with minimum fallout.
On the 27th December 2012 Alexander began his treatment of high dose chemotherapy which was completed on the 5 March 2013. Amidst this he also successfully completed a 2 day stem cell harvest. On the 13 March 2013 Alexander had an MRI scan to see how the cancer had responded to the induction chemotherapy, the results of which would decide whether or not there was anything further that could be done. The good news is Alexander has responded well to the induction chemotherapy, but still requires radiotherapy to the brain and spine to give him the best possible chance of a cure.
Before the positive results of the MRI scan were known Alexander's oncologist explored the options of proton radiotherapy abroad. Proton treatment is much kinder and less harmful to the body especially that of a young child. It creates little to no collateral damage to other organs, good tissue and bone structure compared to traditional radiotherapy.
Contact was made to a number of facilities, but due to the treatment time frame, and the waiting list for the machines, as well as the extensive spread of the cancer the family were told that they would not accept Alexander for treatment and he would have to undergo traditional radiotherapy in the UK. However contact was made with the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, USA and quickly arranged for his case history and latest scans to be reviewed, hoping in their opinion Alexander would be a good candidate for proton and whether they could treat him in the near future.
On Friday 29 March 2013 the family got the fantastic news that the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston would be happy to accept Alexander for proton radiotherapy due to his good responce to the chemotherapy with every chance to a cure.
Even though time is of the essence he could undergo further chemotherapy to bridge the gap while the family organised the funding and logistics.
Boston miraculously has an opening at the end of April beginning of May for Alexander, funding needed to help this little boy is £255000 and so far everyone has rallied together and raised £47000
Can you help raise some funding any amount would gratefully received and time is of the essence to get the funding to get the treatment for Alexander.
Here is some more information about
Alexander and his treatment
This is his fund raising page
Here is his facebook page
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