Mia

Mia's story

In April 2016, Mia, along with several of her classmates, had become unwell. On the advice of their local GP, mum and dad, Josh and Kirsty, made sure Mia’s fluids were replenished after vomiting. Two weeks later, Mia’s symptoms had eased. Whilst Mia still showed signs of fatigue, her parents put this down to her body recovering from the sickness. Then Kirsty felt a lump in Mia’s tummy. 

Following an examination, the family were admitted to their local hospital for tests to find out more about the lump. To Kirsty and Josh’s horror, the tests confirmed that the lump was cancer. Mia was transferred to Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital in Cardiff and doctors confirmed that Mia had stage 4 high-risk neuroblastoma. 

Mia’s primary tumour was attached to her right adrenal gland, and it had spread to her ovary and liver. Following three months of induction chemotherapy, the three spots on Mia’s liver had gone and the primary tumour and disease in her ovary had shrunk by 50%. While surgery to remove the remaining tumours resulted in Mia losing her kidney and ovary, she went on to show no evidence of disease. 

Three weeks later, Mia had high-dose chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant. It was following this that doctors discovered that adhesions had formed around the stomach where the tumour had been resected, which meant that Mia was unable to tolerate any oral consumption and needed more surgery. 

Mia went on to receive radiotherapy and then immunotherapy. When Mia’s frontline treatment came to an end in the UK in July 2017, her family – in the knowledge of high relapse rates – launched a fundraising campaign with Solving Kids’ Cancer UK to fund additional therapy through a clinical trial in America aimed at helping keep cancer away. Thanks to incredible community support for Mia, they raised what was needed and in August 2017, flew to Michigan for Mia to access the first round of treatment on the DFMO clinical trial at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. 

Mia is now 11 years old and remains in remission. 

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

_{Funds raised will go towards helping Mia should she need further treatment not available through the NHS. Mia's cancer, high-risk neuroblastoma is aggressive with high rates of relapse. At relapse, the chance of survival is extremely low. If Mia no longer needs the funds or is in remission five years post the end of treatment, the funds will be used to support other children and families affected by neuroblastoma through our activities.}