Fundraiser To Help Young Girl Battle Rare Form Of Cancer

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Siobhan Mather.

A FUNDRAISER will take place in Killorglin next month to help a two year old girl battling a rare child cancer.

Siobhan Mather is living in the UK but has strong connections to Kerry through her grandfather Dave Murphy from Portmagee and her grandmother, Teresa Foley from Glencar. Siobhan still has many relations living in Glencar, Glenbeigh and other parts of Kerry.

On July 1 last year, aged just 2, Siobhan became lethargic and was taken to her GP. After being referred to Barnet General Hospital, it was discovered she had a tumour.

She was transferred to Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) where she was diagnosed with Stage 4 Neuroblastoma, a rare child cancer.

Neuroblastoma is a very rare cancer and only 100 children per year are diagnosed in the U.K.  Siobhan has undergone various treatments in the UK and to further her chances of a full recovery she needs a vaccine which is only available in America.

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High-risk neuroblastoma has a high chance of relapse; and relapsed Neuroblastoma has low survival rates.  Relapsed Neuroblastoma is the most dangerous form of the disease.

There is no standard relapse protocol for relapsed Neuroblastoma, which means clinical trials are often the only hope for many children.

Such clinical trials are rarely available via the NHS, so where families wish to access this treatment, their only option is abroad, in the hope of helping them beat cancer.

In the USA, there have been a number of trials with high success rates.  The cost for the course of treatment, as well as the associated costs of travelling abroad to access it are estimated in the region of £220,000.

To this end a number of fundraisers have been held in the mid-Kerry area over the past few months and the latest is a dance at the Manor Inn, Killorglin, on Saturday, February 17 at 9.30pm. Tickets €5. There is also a justgiving fundraising page which can be accessed by clicking here. Find out more on the Facebook page here

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