Mum’s plea to help save her girl, six, battling cancer for third time
THE mum of a six-year-old girl who is battling cancer for the THIRD time has launched an appeal to send her daughter abroad for vital treatment.
Rosie Mitchell, from Port Glasgow, is battling neuroblastoma – a type of cancer that forms in certain types of nerve tissue.
The community has been rallying around and so far £40,000 has been collected from fundraising efforts.
Her parents Ross Mitchell, 42, and Donna-Louise Hurrell, 40, say they couldn’t be more grateful with the support they have received.
Donna-Louise, a teacher, said: “I’m so amazed. It’s completely overwhelming.
“I always found it hard to ask people to donate to save my child.
“Doing this has made me realise that there are good people out there that want to help.
“I am so thankful for everyone donations so far. We’ve been able to raise money through so many ways.
“We’ve done sponsored haircuts, ladies day, bucket collections and even her school, St John’s Primary, had a blue day were they managed to raise over £8,000.
“Her ballet class also done some fundraising for her, they are all incredible.”
The youngster was only 15 months when she was diagnosed with stage four neuroblastoma.
Rosie, who lives with her parents and twin brothers Dylan and Lucas, had cancer in her abdomen, face, skull, lymph nodes and bone marrow.
Rosie underwent surgery, high-dose chemotherapy, a stem cell transplant, radiotherapy and immunotherapy and six months in hospital.
She also suffered a brain haemorrhage and liver disease.
She was cancer free for two-and-a-half years but in November 2016, the cancer came back and she received further treatment.
A routine scan in April this year revealed that the cancer had returned in Rosie’s bones, triggering a fresh round of chemotherapy.
Donna-Louise says options are very limited and that is why families fundraise to go to America or Germany for treatment aimed at preventing the cancer coming back.
She added: “Our daughter is fighting cancer for the third time.
“Doctors are trying to treat it but the options are becoming more and more limited which is why we have turned to fundraise in case we may need to go elsewhere.
“Once you relapse your options become limited.
“She is going through chemo at the moment but we’re looking for a clinical trial.
“But the way she has dealt with this is amazing. She just gets on with it, she’s a fighter.”
Recently, as revealed in Bev Lyons’ column in the Evening Times, the youngster had her dreams come true when she met pop stars Little Mix at their gig at Falkirk Stadium, organised my Make a Wish charity.
Readers who wish to donate to Rosie can visit solvingkidscancer.org.uk/campaigns/ rosiemitchell.