03 Feb Family desperately try to raise funds for life saving treatment for six-year-old Lily
On January 12, Jack and Elizabeth Mckelvey heard the news that no parent ever wants to hear – their six year old daughter Lily was diagnosed with an extremely rare tumour which grows in the stem of the brain.
The couple, who are expecting Lily’s baby brother in June, are now doing all that they can to save their six year old daughter and are desperately trying to raise £370,000 for lifesaving treatment for Lily in the US.
As few as 20 children are diagnosed with this condition – known as diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) – each year in the UK. Just after Christmas Lily started being violently sick in the mornings which was her only symptom of DIPG. After many GP appointments, Lily had a brain scan which is how the tumour was found.
Lily is currently undergoing 13 sessions of radiotherapy at radiotherapy at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, in Cambridge as a form of palliative care to optimise her quality of life with her family.
Doctors explained to Jack and Elizabeth, who live in Marks Tey, Lily’s life expectancy is between just six to nine months.
Wanting to do all that they can to save their daughter, Lily’s parents have spent hours researching treatments and have discovered a specialist doctor from New York who can provide treatment for DIPG.
This treatment is not available in the UK and Jack and Elizabeth are consulting with their doctor in Cambridge, who said Lily may be able to travel there for treatment after her radiotherapy however the cost for this, including travel, is expected to be £370,000.
So far, the fundraising campaign has already raised over £110,000 however with no time to spare the family desperately need to reach the target of £370,000.
Fundraiser by Elizabeth Mckelvey : Help Lily with life saving treatment (gofundme.com)
