Fighting for Amelia
Donation protected
In November of 2016, at only two years old, Amelia was diagnosed with stage 4, high risk, Neuroblastoma. By the time it was found, it had spread all over her tiny body, from her adrenal gland to her bones, bone marrow, lymph nodes, soft tissue, and all over her abdomen. Her gruelling 17 month long frontline treatment included 8, rounds of chemo, 4 surgeries, two stem cell transplants, 20 days of radiation, and 6 months of immunotherapy. Along with that, she has endured (to date) 54 blood transfusions, countless scans and sedations, and even more antibiotics.
Her frontline treatment will be completed in April of this year, and followed by another full set of scans to assess whether it has, in fact, worked as hoped.
Unfortunately, even after all of this aggressive treatment, her chance of relapse still sits around 40% to 50%, and the heartbreaking statistics of this horrible disease show only a 10% survival rate once a relapse occurs.
The best chance is to get it all the first time around.
In light of this, Laura and Brien have applied to enroll Amelia in a clinical trial at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan, run by Dr. Giselle Sholler. This trial is aimed to help prevent relapse, using an oral drug called DFMO (difluoromethylornithine) twice a day for 24 months. The drug works by targeting and then “turning off” the cells that drive the cancer to grow. It has shown to be more effective in tumours that are MYCN amplified, (a genetic mutation in the tumour) which Amelia’s is.
The latest findings showed the 5 year event free (relapse free) survival increase from 63% to 87%.
The treatment is done as outpatient, but will require at least 10 scheduled trips to Michigan during the trial. Because it is outside of Canada, it is not covered by insurance and that means Brien and Laura will be required to pay out of pocket for both the treatment/hospital visits, as well as travel costs for each trip to Michigan.
I'm sure all of you can understand, they will leave no stone unturned and we need to do whatever it takes to keep Amelia here with us and healthy.
The Devries Family needs our help, we have come much too far to give up now. We need your help, please donate and if you can't donate, help share our page and spread the word.
Please help us Fight for Amelia!
Much Love,
Corey xo
Her frontline treatment will be completed in April of this year, and followed by another full set of scans to assess whether it has, in fact, worked as hoped.
Unfortunately, even after all of this aggressive treatment, her chance of relapse still sits around 40% to 50%, and the heartbreaking statistics of this horrible disease show only a 10% survival rate once a relapse occurs.
The best chance is to get it all the first time around.
In light of this, Laura and Brien have applied to enroll Amelia in a clinical trial at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan, run by Dr. Giselle Sholler. This trial is aimed to help prevent relapse, using an oral drug called DFMO (difluoromethylornithine) twice a day for 24 months. The drug works by targeting and then “turning off” the cells that drive the cancer to grow. It has shown to be more effective in tumours that are MYCN amplified, (a genetic mutation in the tumour) which Amelia’s is.
The latest findings showed the 5 year event free (relapse free) survival increase from 63% to 87%.
The treatment is done as outpatient, but will require at least 10 scheduled trips to Michigan during the trial. Because it is outside of Canada, it is not covered by insurance and that means Brien and Laura will be required to pay out of pocket for both the treatment/hospital visits, as well as travel costs for each trip to Michigan.
I'm sure all of you can understand, they will leave no stone unturned and we need to do whatever it takes to keep Amelia here with us and healthy.
The Devries Family needs our help, we have come much too far to give up now. We need your help, please donate and if you can't donate, help share our page and spread the word.
Please help us Fight for Amelia!
Much Love,
Corey xo
Organizer and beneficiary
Corey Logan
Organizer
Almonte, ON
Laura Devries
Beneficiary
