by Rebecca Hannant
A Bilton couple have launched a £200,000 appeal to help their two-year-old son beat life-threatening cancer.
In 2023, Daisy and Daniel Turner started noticing that Louie had started becoming less active, struggled with sleeping, and was refusing to eat.
Daisy said: “Up until 19 months of age, Louie was a happy and healthy little boy. He was very active, he loved playing outside, going to the beach and playground, and loved his food – his favourite was cottage pie which he would manage to get everywhere.”
After several visits to the GP, his parents took him to A&E, where doctors carried out further tests.
Louie was later diagnosed with a rare type of cancer named a high-risk neuroblastoma, and at diagnosis the condition has a 50 per cent long- time survival rate. After receiving the news, Louie underwent eight rounds of chemotherapy, 10-hour surgery, high-dose chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
Daisy added: “Since then, Louie has had so much treatment. He has suffered so much, but has still managed to keep his smile throughout.”
His parents have reported that initially, the 17cm-long tumour responded very well to treatment and after initial chemotherapy and surgery in October, the tumour was only 0.5cm. However, the tumour has not responded to treatment since, and remains active. Louie is currently undergoing immunotherapy.
If the tumour is not dead on completing immunotherapy, his parents say that there will only be a 50 per cent chance of long-term survival.
“However, if Louie enters remission before the end of his treatment, there is still a 35 per cent chance of relapse. At present there is no cure available in the UK in the event of a relapse.”
In response to Louie’s ongoing treatment, Daisy and Daniel have launched a £200,000 appeal to get Louie to America where a treatment called Difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) has recently been approved by the FDA.
Daisy added: “We can’t sit and hope for the best – we need to act, and we need your help. There is a treatment available in the US which has just been approved by the FDA.
“Early data suggests this treatment, DFMO, is very effective at helping to treat the cancer and in preventing relapse. We are aiming to raise £200,000 in five months to make sure we give Louie the best chance of survival and get him to the US for treatment.
“We would really appreciate it if you could spread our story and donate if you can comfortably do so.”
To donate, visit justgiving.com/crowdfunding/Cure4Louie.
