STOP PRESS!!

- Latest News April 2010 -
Our Fight for Breakthrough Immunotherapy Treatment.

New Ch14.18 antibody treatment, in the US, has recently proven very successful against relapse. It is critical that Felix gets this treatment, either in the US or Europe. However we have got two big problems to overcome:

1) The Ch14.18 antibody is only available on a trial basis.
Ch14.18 trials in the US and Europe have imposed an arbitrary criteria on how can receive it based on 'time since diagnosis' in order to limit demand on the drug. Based on this unethical criteria, we have been told that Felix is not eligible to receive it either in the US or Europe. We are battling fiercely to find a way for Felix, and the other children in our situation across Europe, to have access to this life saving treatment.

2) The Ch14.18 antibody that was launched in the UK and Europe in Dec 2009 is NOT a replica of the proven US treatment and in fact excludes one of the 3 key drugs.
We need the proven treatment!!

For more information about the Ch14.18 antibody and decisions involved please click on the 'Neuroblastoma' page.

Felix's Story......

...On February the 14th 2009 Felix was diagnosed with Stage 4 Neuroblastoma, a particularly rare and aggressive form of childhood cancer. The tumour started on the adrenal gland in his abdomen, and had to his skull vault and bone marrow.

Over the past 12 months, Felix has completed 17 rounds of chemotherapy, surgery which thankfully removed 100% of the remaining tumour and therapeutic internal radiotherapy to target the spread areas. He has just completed high dose chemotherapy and stem cell transplant, and will
then have radiotherapy and immunotheapy over the summer.

Felix has taken all this treatment in his stride. He has shown amazing spirit and energy, started school, played football, been on his favourite 'secret path' walks many times and had a great time with his
identical twin brother Elliot and big sister Grace. He has been nurtured throughout by the Royal Marsden Hospital under the brilliant care of Professor Andy Pearson. We have complimented his care with four key things:

Keep him happy - bags of positive energy and spirit.
Keep him well fed - lots of nutritious, natural food.
Keep him strong and exercised - lots of football, secret path walks and chasing his brother and sister.
Keep his immune system strong - a handful of supplements and complimentary elements that help protect his body from infection.

Devastatingly, this is a cancer which has a high chance of relapse which is why Immunotherapy, our next critical stage, is so vitally important for Felix.