Anya

Anya’s story  

Born in 2011, Anya was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma at 19 months old after several months of having a painless limp, a diminishing appetite and increasingly ill-health. Before being diagnosed, Anya had two misdiagnoses along with two major surgeries. Anya was severely ill at diagnosis and had a feeding tube placed immediately. After undergoing rapid COJEC and tumour resection, Anya needed second-line chemotherapy to help clear the disease from her bone marrow. Following this, Anya had a stem cell transplant, radiotherapy, and Isotretinoin (Roaccutane).

Anya was the first child from the UK to access DFMO (a phase two clinical trial) under Dr Sholler, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in the hope of helping prevent a relapse. Anya was able to access DFMO, which included the family returning to the US nine times in the space of two years, thanks to the incredible community support for her fundraising campaign with Solving Kids' Cancer UK for access to treatment.

Anya finally finished treatment at the age of five, but due to scar tissue had to have a portion of her bowel removed due to a bowel blockage at the age of seven years old in an emergency surgery on Christmas Eve.

Post-treatment

Anya is now at high school and is thriving! Her long-term side effects are being managed and she lives a normal happy life with her mum, dad, little brother, and her dog. Football is one of Anya’s main passions and she is proudly part of a football team. She also enjoys tennis, cycling, reading, and has a love for animals, especially dogs.

_{Solving Kids' Cancer UK's children's fundraising campaigns} 

_{Anya previously had a fundraising campaign for access to treatment. Funds raised through a child's fundraising campaign are spent on their treatment and pastoral needs. Any remaining funds, and all funds raised after five years post the end of the child's treatment, are used to support other children and families through Solving Kids' Cancer UK's activities.}