Story
Each year, we race for life for the parents, grandparents, friends and family who bravely fight against cancer. We could not be prouder of them and those close to us who bravely continue to fight this evil disease every single day. This year, a sweet, little boy has shown us all what it means to be brave, to be courageous and to be a true super hero. Alex (Big Al), was diagnosed with Medulloblastoma (a type of Brain Tumour) in September 2017, aged 3.5 years. Medulloblastoma is the most common paediatric brain tumour but as treatments have to target the whole brain and spinal cord, they are aggressive and can leave long-term, life altering disabilities for children who survive. Big Al has battled through a lot to date, including an 8.5 hour brain operation, 6 weeks of daily radiotherapy under general aesthetic with chemotherapy at the same time and is now undertaking a further 9 months of chemotherapy. After much soul searching, his parents, Anthea and Dave, have agreed for him to take part in a Europe-wide trial called PNET5. This will be part of the care he is receiving at Great Ormond Street , UCLH and Watford Hospital. Big Al is the first child in the UK on the PNET5 trial. Part of PNET5 aims to prove that children with Alex's type of brain tumour can benefit from a treatment resulting in fewer immediate side effects and reduced risk of critical long term disabilities, without any negative impact on length of survival This July, Big Al’s mummy, his amazing big sister, Em and lots of his friends will be donning pink and hopefully raising lots of money for cancer research. Please please give as much as you can. #teambigAl