The family of a four-year-old are hoping to raise £236,000 to give their daughter the best chance of beating cancer.
Cheeky and loving Jasmine Topsakalidis, of Wolseley Road, Rush Green, was diagnosed this month with high-risk neuroblastoma – an aggressive childhood cancer that affects about 100 children each year in the UK.
Jasmine’s parents Ioannis and Tania are desperate for their daughter to access the bivalent vaccine clinical trial at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Centre in New York as soon as she finishes frontline treatment.
The treatment is not available on the NHS.
Tania said: “The fear of losing our daughter and not being able to protect her is the worst feeling in the world.”
Since her diagnosis, Jasmine has undergone extensive chemotherapy, stem cell transplant, major surgery, radiotherapy and immunotherapy.
In the past year she has been in hospital for more than six months, often not allowed to even leave her room or see her brother.
During this time her parents said she’s “been nothing short of amazing”.
Ioannis added: “We just want to be able to get our daughter through this so that she can live her life and one day be able to fulfil her dream of becoming a doctor, helping others in need.
“If you feel you are able to contribute in any way, we would very much appreciate your help and be eternally grateful.”
High-risk neuroblastoma is a particularly aggressive and complex cancer to treat.
The disease returns in almost 50per cent of children and if this happens, less than one in 10 will survive.
Solving Kids’ Cancer, a national charity, has teamed up with the Topsakalidis family to help them raise the funds and access the potentially life-saving treatment.
Stephen Richards, chief executive of Solving Kids’ Cancer, said: “We’re here for families like Jasmine’s and will do everything we can to support them to raise the funds required for treatment in New York.
“Neuroblastoma has high relapse rates and we must do everything we can to try and prevent the cancer from returning.”
Visit to support Jasmine’s campaign or text donate JATO99 and your amount to 70070.
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