Sadie Rose's appeal

 

On 15th June 2012, following further checks, Katie and Darren received the absolutely devastating news that Sadie could no longer be helped. On 25th June, little Sadie passed away.  

You can still make a donation in Sadie's memory. All the funds raised for Sadie's Appeal, that were not spent on her medical costs, will be used to help other children to get the neuroblastoma treatment they need, or on research into the disease.

 

Sadie's Story

Sadie has had lots of different front line treatment here in the UK. This included 70 days of chemotherapy in November 2010 and major surgery in February 2011 to remove a large tumour which was located above her left kidney and wrapped around her aorta, the main artery in the body. Sadie bounced back after this life threatening operation and was home after just over a week in hospital.  

In March 2011 Sadie had an intensive course of high dose chemotherapy to prepare her body for her stem cell transplant. Sadie had her own stem cells given back, with the aim of helping her fight the neuroblastoma cancer cells. Unfortunately she developed a very serious and potentially life threatening liver disease called veno-occlusive disease (VOD) as a side effect from her high dose chemotherapy. This caused her tummy to swell and she gained over 2kg in just a few days due to fluid being retained by her tiny body. The disease took over Sadie's body entirely and she ended up on oxygen 24hrs a day. The Intensive Care Team came to see Sadie and had told her mum and dad that they would expect to see her in intensive care by the weekend.

Sadie’s consultant had prepared Katie and Darren’s for the worst, and they said that this was the hardest part of Sadie’s journey so far. However, brave Sadie pulled through this and was discharged from Leeds General Infirmary after 8 weeks.

Sadie had 3 weeks of radiotherapy in June. This seemed to go very well, so much so she didn't want to leave the hospital! However in July, Sadie started immunotherapy treatment which didn't go as planned. After just 2 weeks treatment she had a seizure, and an emergency CT showed that there was a tumour on the right side of her brain. The next day a 4 hour operation to remove the tumour took place, and tissue samples were sent to the lab for tests. These showed that the tumour was cancerous, and that the neuroblastoma had returned.

Sadie has since had more procedures, like bone marrow tests, CT and heart scans and specialised bone scans (MIBG). The results of these were used to the plan for further antibody treatment at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital in America.

Katie and Darren went to America in January and Sadie Rose began the specialised treatment in America. The treatment costs were quoted at £500,000. Katie and Darren, and their community, aimed to raise as much as possible to cover the costs. However, on the 18th January the family's life was once again turned upside down, when new scan showed that Sadie Rose had relapsed again with tumours in her liver and chest.

 

Sadie was treated for this relapse in New York as a matter of urgency and Sadie received chemotherapy to try and arrest the disease. The family then came back to the UK where Sadie continued to have treatment in the hope that she would be able to join a new trial for relapsed neuroblastoma. 

 

On 15th June 2012, following further checks, Katie and Darren received the absolutely devastating news that Sadie could no longer be helped. On 25th June, little Sadie passed away.

 

You can still make a donation in Sadie's memory. All the funds raised for Sadie's Appeal, that were not spent on her medical costs, will be used to help other children to get the neuroblastoma treatment they need, or on research into the disease.

 

Every donation, no matter how small, will be used to help a child with neuroblastoma.

 

You can still donate in memory of Sadie 

• You can donate to by clicking the donate now button and selecting 'In Memory of Sadie Rose Clifford' from the drop down menu
• Visit Sadie Rose's fundraising page on JustGiving
• Donate by text message by texting SADI99 and an amount £1, £2 £3 £4 £5 or £10 to 70070

Alternatively you can send a cheque made payable to ‘Neuroblastoma Alliance - In Memory of Sadie Rose Clifford' and post it to:

The Neuroblastoma Alliance
3-4 Sentinel Square 
Brent Street 
London 
NW4 2EL

 

You can also make a payment into the charity bank account in person at a bank, or through your personal online banking. Please contact us for details if you would like to do this.

 

Visit Sadie Rose's facebook page >