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Meet Seraph

Seraph is a very cheeky little monkey. As many four year olds are.

He likes dinosaurs, Lego, Minecraft, and giggling like an idiot. Most of all though, he loves his big brother, Logan. Seraph also has High Risk Neuroblastoma; an aggressive form of paediatric cancer, with only a 40% chance of surviving the next 5 years.In 2017, he was a just normal 3 year old; finding his feet at nursery, making new friends, climbing on everything!

One night, just before Christmas, he fell out of his cot and broke his arm. Just our luck, we thought. Not knowing what was to come. Over Christmas, he still seemed in a lot of pain, so we returned to A+E. An exploratory ultrasound revealed a tumour in his abdomen. Further investigation showed the cancer was in his skeleton and bone marrow. The broken arm had very much been 'a lucky break.' Without it, our first trip may well have been to PICU.

Seraph has been through so much; surgery, chemotherapy so strong it has damaged his hearing, a stem cell transplant (which had him in isolation for a month, and in hospital for 2). He was the first patient at Addenbrookes to undergo 5 weeks of radiotherapy for this disease, and he did each day without general anaesthetic (unusual for a child so young). Finally, we hope he'll finish Immunotherapy in June 2019.

Although this is one of the most intensive protocols for any paediatric cancer (and all the NHS can currently offer) still about half of the children who make it through, relapse. Therefore we are fundraising for future treatment. Current possibilities cost in the hundreds of thousands of pounds, and are (just now) only offered abroad.

'Logan is our moon. Seraph is our sun. I honestly don't know what we'd do without him. Every child deserves a full and happy life, and we need both our children to shine.'

Please share and donate to allow Seraph access to potentially life-saving treatment.

WHAT IS Neuroblastoma?

Fewer than 100 children in the UK are diagnosed each year with neuroblastoma, and most children who have this cancer are younger than five years old. Neuroblastoma is an aggressive cancer, and the most common solid tumour in children that occurs outside of the brain and makes up 8% of the total number of children’s cancers.

Neuroblastoma can occur anywhere in the body. The site of origin is either in one of the two adrenal glands situated in the abdomen (tummy) or in nerve tissue that runs alongside the spinal cord, in the neck, chest, abdomen or pelvis. Neuroblastoma can spread to tissues beyond the original site such as the bone marrow, bone, lymph nodes, liver, and skin.

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The symptoms of Neuroblastoma depend on where it has spread and can vary enormously. They can include a swollen tummy, constipation or trouble passing urine, breathlessness and trouble swallowing, a lump on the neck, blue lumps on the skin, high blood pressure, weakness in the legs, and general unsteadiness. 

Because symptoms can differ in every child and mimic a variety of other childhood illnesses, Neuroblastoma can be very difficult to diagnose in the early stages. As a result most children are not diagnosed until the cancer is at a stage 4 ‘high risk’ level. By this time the cancer has metastasised and has spread throughout the body.
 

Seraph has stage 4 ‘high risk’ Neuroblastoma.
 

Treatment for stage 4 'high risk' Neuroblastoma is one of the most intensive protocols for any paediatric cancer. The involves a combination rapid induction chemotherapy, surgery,high-dose chemotherapy with stem cell support, radiotherapy and immunotherapy. Along with many scans, tests, and other small operations often requiring general anaesthetic.

Even if they are able to complete this initial course of treatment, still about half of the children who make it through, relapse.
There is currently no protocol available in the UK to deal with relapsed Neuroblastoma. Many children must travel overseas to seek various, often expensive, medical trials that are not available under the NHS.

HOW CAN YOU HELP SERAPH?

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WHY ARE WE FUNDRAISING?

Neuroblastoma is a very aggressive form of cancer, and the current treatment for it is also extremely tough. Out of the children that are able to make it through to the end of NHS treatment, around 50% will relapse. In the case of a relapse the survival rate is only around 10%.

We are trying to raise funds to allow Seraph to take part in a ground-breaking trial at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre in New York, where they have developed a vaccine aimed at preventing relapse. This will cost £237,000.

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

  • Make a DONATION

  • Text SERAPH 10 to 70085 to make a £10 donation from your mobile phone!

  • Organise a fundraising event for Seraph, either individually, at work or school

  • Raise funds and awareness through sponsored events, such as marathons

  • Download our FUNDRAISING PACK to help your fundraising event

  • Support some of our various upcoming events

  • Raise FREE FUNDS for Seraph every time you shop online

PLEASE Spread the word and tell everyone you know about TEAM SUPER SERAPH we can'T do this without you!

CONTACT US

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Come join us on Facebook to stay up to date with the latest updates, and fundraising news!

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Just like all the cool kids, we're on Instagram, too!

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