Urgent: Help 4-Year-Old Zach Access Time-Critical Treatment to Prevent His Cancer Returning

Zach is 4 years old and was diagnosed in October 2024 with stage 4 high-risk neuroblastoma, an aggressive and life-threatening childhood cancer. Since then, he has been fighting this disease for over 18 months.

We urgently need to raise £150,000 within the next three months to access a time-critical treatment in the United States, where this treatment is currently available. If this window is missed, he will lose the opportunity to receive it.

His cancer carries a high risk of returning, and for children like Zach, survival is very low if it does. At the moment, other treatment options are only offered if the cancer relapses, when the chances of long-term survival are much lower.

Zach’s Best Chance to Keep the Cancer from Returning

Zach urgently needs a medicine called DFMO (eflornithine), which is used to help prevent the cancer from relapsing and to keep him in remission.

Without this treatment, his risk increases. With the use of DFMO I have a chance to reduce that risk and give him the strongest possible chance of staying cancer free.

The cost covers treatment, travel, and accommodation in the United States.

As his mum, I will do everything I can to give him that chance. My name is Edwina, and I’m the mother to Zach and his 10-year-old brother.

Unfortunately i do not have the financial means to fund this treatment without your help, as it is not yet available through standard NHS care.

Why This Treatment Matters

This treatment is given after a child’s frontline treatment has ended. It is a maintenance drug, intended to prevent the cancer from returning.

In the available data, 84 out of every 100 children who received DFMO stayed in remission, meaning their cancer did not come back, compared to around 72 out of 100 without it.

Overall survival was also higher, with 96 out of every 100 children still alive compared to around 84 out of 100 without it.

This means about 12 more out of every 100 children survived with DFMO compared to those who did not receive it.

Zach could be one of those children, given a better chance at survival.

These results come from a Phase II clinical study of DFMO run through the NMTRC (New Approaches to Neuroblastoma Therapy Consortium), where it was used as maintenance therapy in children with high-risk neuroblastoma after treatment.

This matters because DFMO is used to reduce the risk of the cancer coming back. If high-risk neuroblastoma does return, fewer than 20 out of every 100 children are likely to survive long term.

I want to ensure I explore all avenues available to reduce the risk of that happening to Zach and give him the best possible chance in surviving.

The Funding Gap We Are Facing

Very unexpectedly, I was informed on Friday 24 April 2026 that access to DFMO through the Early Access Programme has now been closed. This means it is no longer accessible via the NHS route, and families are now required to seek access privately, often through international providers.

Availability is therefore extremely limited in the UK. It is not part of standard NHS care because it does not yet have regulatory approval, despite being used internationally, including in the United States.

Zach is now reaching the point where he needs to start DFMO. This treatment is intended to begin shortly after his current treatment finishes, and if I miss this window, he will no longer be able to receive it.

I therefore need to raise these funds urgently to access this treatment at the right time and give Zach the best possible chance of staying in remission, living a long life, and growing up to achieve his dreams.

Without this treatment, Zach’s risk of the cancer returning is significantly higher. With it, there is a real chance to reduce that risk and give him the future he deserves.

Zach’s Story

Zach’s journey began in October 2024, when he was diagnosed at just 2 years and 8 months old with high-risk neuroblastoma, a rare and aggressive cancer affecting around 100 children in the UK every year.

Since then, he has undergone intensive treatment including chemotherapy, MIBG therapy, a 12-hour surgery to resect his tumour, immunotherapy and soon to complete proton beam. He has also faced repeated procedures under anaesthesia, central line placements and replacements, feeding tubes, and many complicated infections. This has meant long hospital stays, painful procedures, and time away from a normal childhood.

For over 18 months, Zach has been fighting through the most difficult part of treatment. He is obsessed with his superheroes, the Power Rangers, and dreams of becoming one himself. To me, my son is the true superhero in this story. Every day, he shows strength and bravery while fighting this disease.

He is now coming to the end of his current cancer treatment, immunotherapy, which helps the body’s immune system fight any remaining cancer cells.

All of this has had a huge impact on his everyday life. Zach doesn’t fully understand why he can’t play like other children, go to school, or eat normally, and instead has to be fed through a nasal gastric tube.

Prior to Zach’s diagnosis he was an active child, always running around and playing with his big brother.

Since his 12-hour surgery, he has experienced mobility difficulties, abdominal discomfort and nausea which has had a significant impact on his daily life. He has also had to endure some of the most difficult parts of treatment at such a young age.

During a stage of his treatment, Zach had to be isolated due to him receiving MIBG radiation therapy, being isolated from me at such a young age. This was incredibly difficult for him to understand, but despite everything he has been through, he continues to face this disease with courage and determination.

A Mother’s Perspective

When Zach was first diagnosed, it was extremely difficult for us as a family, your life changes drastically and the anxiety and fear you feel as a parent is difficult to put into words as all you want to do is take that pain away from your child.

His older brother has found this journey incredibly difficult, but has never left his side and is always there to support his little brother in any way he can.

Seeing Zach unable to play like other children, go to school, or live a normal life has been incredibly hard, knowing how much he is missing out on. This disease has forced him to grow up far too quickly, and I grieve the loss of his innocence. He should be thinking about his Power Rangers and doing normal day to day activities that children of his age do.

Zach’s strength and resilience teach me every day how strong he is, and seeing him fight gives me the strength to keep fighting for him.

We have also been advised that his type of tumour carries a significant risk of relapse, even after treatment, which makes access to maintenance therapy critically important. Zach is not just facing cancer, he is also extremely vulnerable to infection due to his weakened immune system making him immunocompromised, having the right care at the right time is essential to giving him the best possible chance moving forward.

No parent should ever have to face the thought of their child dying before them.

How You Can Help

Today, 5th May 2026, marks the start of a three-month countdown to secure this life-changing treatment for Zach.

I am raising funds to access DFMO and the associated medical and access costs, which will include travelling abroad to receive this treatment.

Any donation, no matter how small, will make a real difference in helping me access this for Zach at the time he urgently needs it.

Please share this as widely as possible and tag anyone who may be able to help. I need to reach as many people as possible.

Zach is from Hackney London and I am asking everyone, including our local community, businesses, and anyone in the UK or abroad who is able to help, to please support and share his story so we can reach as many people as possible.

If you have any connections in media, TV, or radio, I would be incredibly grateful if you could help raise awareness by featuring Zach’s story, bringing him onto your programme, or speaking with us. This would make a real difference and help us raise the funds as quickly as possible.

If you are not able to donate, sharing this page would mean a great deal and could help us reach others who can.

Every contribution brings Zach one step closer to accessing this treatment and gives him a better chance at a future.

Thank You

We truly appreciate you taking the time to read Zach’s story and for any support you can give in helping us fight for his future.