My Story
William was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) when he was a few months old. He spent almost a year after diagnosis living in a specialist cancer unit for babies, young children and teenagers, whilst receiving life saving treatment. There were many setbacks during that time including periods spent in intensive care when for example William contracted septicaemia. William now aged four, is back at home with his family. He attends his specialist unit at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge periodically and visits his local hospital in Bedfordshire for regular check- ups. William has a few health issues related to the long term nature and effects of his treatment but overall he is doing very well. The most recent photographs of William on his page, show him enjoying a visit to his local fire station dressed as Fireman Sam. The most common form of childhood cancer is ALL, which is a disease of the white blood cells that usually help to fight infection. Children with ALL are usually given chemotherapy, which helps many young patients effectively fight the disease. Unfortunately chemotherapy is not effective for everyone, and sometimes the cancer returns after treatment; for these children, sadly the treatment options are then limited. We were previously supporting a project by Professor Josef Vormoor and his research team at the University of Newcastle, this was specifically studying how ALL resists treatment, and how it can come back after treatment stops. I am delighted to say that this project has now received sufficient funding and from the 5th December 2017 this page will now be supporting the Kids and Teens campaign. The Kids & Teens campaign raises money for research into cancers affecting children and young people. We need your help to find new, better and kinder treatments. Please help us to support this amazing Cancer Research UK campaign by donating generously to William's Group. Help us to beat childhood cancer. Remembering always those children who have died of childhood cancer, especially Mia aged one year who died of leukaemia (13/06/2010). Remembering too all those children currently undergoing treatment for childhood cancer and those children who are in remission.
