Come together for the Spencer family
Donation protected
Rachel, 4, was diagnosed with a rare form of Leukaemia on Easter Sunday 2019, the condition so rare the specialist oncology ward at Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge only see 1 case every year. Unfortunately for Rachel 2019 was the year that she was going to be that 1. The Spencer family were told that untreated Rachel would have died in 2 weeks. Rachel’s official diagnosis is Philadelphia Positive Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (PH+ ALL). Historically children diagnosed with PH+ ALL where given a 30% chance of being cured, thankfully medicine has improved in recent years and that % has come up significantly, doctors here are reluctant to put an actual number on it.
So far they have gone through so many set backs and complications, such as hair loss (standard for chemo treatment) Kidney damage, Heart rate irregularities, high/low blood pressure, constant infections. Due to her vast combination of medicine she has also been affected by muscle strength, to the point we have she has to be carried everywhere. Compete loss of appetite, all food has to be administered via a nose tube straight into her stomach. Horrendous sickness! There are so many side effects, the above are just a few to mention. Rachel’s treatment will last for 2 years and 6 months from point of diagnosis, providing everything goes well. They have already added at least 6 weeks to that treatment plan due to complications. She is currently undergoing the most intensive phase of treatment which lasts for 3 months, all of which we will be as an inpatient at Addenbrookes. This is due to the complexity of her treatment and she could dramatically decline at any point.
They hope that she can start school in January, however it would only be a few hours a day a couple of days a week, she will still need multiple visits to Addenbrookes for tests and procedures. Words have not been invented to describe how this has affected the Spencers, to watch their beautiful, energetic, intelligent little girl deteriorate in front of them and they are powerless to help, other than hold her hand and cuddle her when she’s having numerous scary procedures done to her.
Dave explained “One memory I’ll never forget, a few weeks into treatment and we were sat on her bed on the ward, 2 nurses came into her room and she cowered into me started to cry and whispered to me ‘daddy what are they going to do to me?’.
To say this has been the toughest thing in my life is an understatement. But we have no choice, this is the only way to get our girl back.”
On top of everything the bills still come piling in while both parents are having to take time off to care for their beautiful little girl. Their wages have stopped and halved but they still have to pay their bills. I wanted to set up this campaign to help raise some funds for the Spencers so they don’t have to worry about money on top of everything else.
If you can make a donation not matter how small... but preferably large I will be so grateful!
THANK YOU!
Lucy
So far they have gone through so many set backs and complications, such as hair loss (standard for chemo treatment) Kidney damage, Heart rate irregularities, high/low blood pressure, constant infections. Due to her vast combination of medicine she has also been affected by muscle strength, to the point we have she has to be carried everywhere. Compete loss of appetite, all food has to be administered via a nose tube straight into her stomach. Horrendous sickness! There are so many side effects, the above are just a few to mention. Rachel’s treatment will last for 2 years and 6 months from point of diagnosis, providing everything goes well. They have already added at least 6 weeks to that treatment plan due to complications. She is currently undergoing the most intensive phase of treatment which lasts for 3 months, all of which we will be as an inpatient at Addenbrookes. This is due to the complexity of her treatment and she could dramatically decline at any point.
They hope that she can start school in January, however it would only be a few hours a day a couple of days a week, she will still need multiple visits to Addenbrookes for tests and procedures. Words have not been invented to describe how this has affected the Spencers, to watch their beautiful, energetic, intelligent little girl deteriorate in front of them and they are powerless to help, other than hold her hand and cuddle her when she’s having numerous scary procedures done to her.
Dave explained “One memory I’ll never forget, a few weeks into treatment and we were sat on her bed on the ward, 2 nurses came into her room and she cowered into me started to cry and whispered to me ‘daddy what are they going to do to me?’.
To say this has been the toughest thing in my life is an understatement. But we have no choice, this is the only way to get our girl back.”
On top of everything the bills still come piling in while both parents are having to take time off to care for their beautiful little girl. Their wages have stopped and halved but they still have to pay their bills. I wanted to set up this campaign to help raise some funds for the Spencers so they don’t have to worry about money on top of everything else.
If you can make a donation not matter how small... but preferably large I will be so grateful!
THANK YOU!
Lucy
Organizer and beneficiary
Lucy Boddington
Organizer
David Spencer
Beneficiary
