The Eileidh Rose Puddles Project SCIO gives emotional, practical and financial support to families (with children under 16) living with a life threatening or terminal illness and through bereavement. She was a happy baby & grew into a very bright, sociable, independent & stubborn little girl. All this changed in May 2014 when 2 year old Eileidh started to experience difficulty breathing. Her mothe
r, Gail, also noticed that Eileidh’s tummy was bloated. Their GP prescribed medication for trapped wind and told them to return the next day if Eileidh was no better. The following day, Eileidh was quiet and withdrawn, which was not like her at all, preferring instead to cuddle up with her blanket. The family GP immediately arranged for Eileidh to be seen at the Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital. After many tests throughout the night, Gail was taken into a small room and told the devastating news that a tumour had been found in Eileidh’s abdomen and that an MRI scan was needed. Unfortunately the scan results showed that she had Stage 4 High Risk neuroblastoma. More tumours were found…
Like more than half of children diagnosed with neuroblastoma, the cancer had spread throughout Eileidh’s body by the time it was discovered. The primary tumour was attached to Eileidh’s adrenal gland and encased around the artery to her right kidney. There were also secondary tumours in her bone marrow, pancreas, and lymph nodes in the left hand side of her bottom jaw. So far Eileidh has endured chemotherapy, surgery, high dose chemotherapy with stem cell transplant, radiotherapy and immunotherapy. Gail says, “My amazing little girl is fighting this evil disease with everything she has. She has coped brilliantly with it so far but she still has months of gruelling treatment ahead of her. Her energy and smile make everyone treating Eileidh adore her.”
Eileidh’s fight continues…
At the end of May, Eileidh’s antibody treatment will end. If final scans show no evidence of disease, this will signify the end of Eileidh’s current treatment path in the UK. Eileidh’s family are urgently fundraising so that she can access a clinical trial in the US where she’ll receive an experimental drug which is believed to reduce the risk of relapse. This treatment has been approved by Eileidh’s UK oncologists and a similar drug trial, funded by the NCCA UK, will be open in this country next year. High risk neuroblastoma has a high rate of relapse which means the disease often returns after periods in remission. With this in mind, Eileidh’s family want her to participate in this trial to do everything they can to reduce the risk of the cancer returning. Eileidh is a happy girl who adores Minnie Mouse, Frozen & Sofia the First. We must raise £100,000 by June 2015 to make this possible.
“Our hearts broke the day we found out she had cancer,” say Gail’s family. “Eileidh deserves the chance to live a full & happy life, which most of us take for granted. We need your help to piece them back together and make our family whole again.”
What is Neuroblastoma? It develops from nerve cells called neuroblasts. The cancer usually starts in the child’s abdomen (tummy). It often develops in the adrenal glands, the two small glands above the kidneys, and can spread to other areas such as the bones, liver and skin. Neuroblastoma affects around 100 children each year in the UK. It usually affects children under the age of five, and can occur before a child is born. It is the most common solid tumour in childhood after brain tumours. Because early symptoms are vague, Neuroblastoma is often not diagnosed until it has spread around the body (Stage 4). The tumour is removed by operation & depending on the stage, chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy is sometimes used before surgery to shrink the tumour and after surgery to kill any remaining cancer cells. It is common for the cancer to return after being treated. High Risk Neuroblastoma (Stage 4) has a 50% survival rate after front line treatment however 80% of those who survive will relapse within 2 years. There is no relapse protocol in the UK. To donate via your mobile phone text EPAT88 £3 to 70070 (or any amount between £1 -£10]
Please get in touch with NCCA UK if you would like to fundraise for Eileidh by visiting
http://www.ncca-uk.org/appeal/eileidh/
