Yahoo News Fresh hope for Devon boy, 7, battling rare cancer
An incredibly successful fundraiser has resulted in a seven-year-old Devon boy being given fresh hope of trying to beat an incredibly rare cancer. Aubrey Rothery, of Newton Abbot, was diagnosed with diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, a fast-growing and inoperable form of cancer in February.
The five-year survival rate is currently only one per cent. Aubrey completed radiotherapy treatment at the end of March and has been recovering at home since then.
The only other treatment available on the NHS is steroids. Aubrey's parents Andrew Rothery and Samantha Hibbert set up a fundraiser on GoFundMe to raise funds to access clinical trials and pay for potential treatments that could make a difference and help find an effective cure for him.
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So far it has raised more than £17,500 and has been boosted by fundraising events including a sponsored cycle ride organised by Aubrey’s eight-year-old friend Senan Rose-Maris which raised more than £1,400 and a sponsored walk organised by Aubrey's family which raised more than £600.
Andrew says the next stage for Aubrey is to try new medications as well as natural alternatives and a new diet.
He said: "The radiotherapy takes several months to fully act on the tumour, but the initial signs are really positive. Aubrey’s been able to begin walking short distances unaided, play ball games and has even done a round of crazy golf which is amazing.
"He is still far from his normal self and we are now entering the next phase of his treatment which is all about trying new medications that will potentially have a much longer-term action on reducing, and potentially clearing, the tumour. We have now been offered access to a new drug called ONC 201 which has had some very promising results in adults with similar kinds of brain tumour to Aubrey’s and it has shown wide-ranging anti-cancer properties.
"We are now working with our consultants to prepare for treatment with the ONC 201. Aubrey has also been responding well to a range of natural herbs and supplements which include Vitamin D, curcumin, CBD and he will soon be starting to take a mushroom native to Northern hemisphere birch forests, called Chaga, which has anti-cancer and immune system boosting properties.
"We are also shifting his diet to include a higher proportion of fresh vegetables and fruit in the form of juices which increase his vitamin intake and help to remove toxins from his system. We’re preparing for a long journey of holistic treatment combining pharmaceutical medicines with natural herbs and supplements.
"The support that we have received from everyone around us has been incredible and we have almost reached our GoFundMe target of £25,000. Many donations have come from people who we’ve never met.
"Everyone’s generosity and supportive messages have really kept us going over the last few months and will give us the momentum and strength to give Aubrey the best hope possible of recovery."
Aubrey was a healthy boy until he suddenly started to have problems with his balance in mid-February. Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma develops in an area of the brain that is responsible for basic functions such as breathing, heartbeat, swallowing, eyesight and balance.
It is so rare that it only affects one in 450,000 people, and affects between 20 to 30 children in the UK each year. The fundraiser called Aubrey's Wish will help explore different treatment avenues such as novel drug trials in the UK, Europe and the rest of the world, acupuncture and herbal and mineral remedies based on the Oriental meridian system and cranial sacral therapy.
To donate to the fundraiser, click here.
