Mia all set for clinical trial trip to USA

THE father of a little girl undergoing treatment for cancer says everything is now “in place” for them to travel to America for a clinical trial, as a rainbow-themed fundraising drive for the youngster reaches £200,000.

Josh Chambers said while “everything is in motion” for five-year-old Mia, from Merthyr Tydfil, to go to America, they are taking it one step at a time and are now watching their daughter enjoy as much normality as possible, including returning to school after a year away.

Josh has also paid tribute to the NHS and the treatment it has provided for Mia, saying things could have been very different if they lived in another part of the world.

Mia was diagnosed with stage four high risk neuroblastoma – a rare type of cancer that mostly affects babies and young children – in May 2016, and has been through a multitude of aggressive treatments and procedures since then, including three months of chemotherapy, surgery, a stem cell transplant and radiotherapy.

With cancer experts saying patients with neuroblastoma have a high rate of relapsing, Mia’s family believe her best chance of avoiding that is to undergo a clinical trial in the US.

Last month a rainbow-themed fundraising drive managed to raise enough funds for the youngster to go to America for the clinical trial, reaching £170,000. The funds have now topped £200,000 with the funds meaning treatment has been secured for Mia in the US for the next two years. The fundraising touched the hearts of thousands, with shops, businesses, cars and homes in Merthyr Tydfil and across Wales decorated with bows made from multi-coloured ribbons to raise money and awareness of Mia’s campaign.

Mia’s parents Josh and Kirsty are now watching the youngster enjoy some normality, including returning to school, while also preparing for the first trip to America which, pending reassessment scans, will hopefully take place in August.

When Mia was diagnosed last year, her parents decided to keep her off from Gwaunfarren Primary School to avoid her catching illnesses which could have disrupted her treatment plan – instead being taught by teachers while she was on the Rainbow ward at Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital for Wales in Cardiff.

Josh has also paid tribute to the tremendous work the family has seen first-hand by NHS workers who have treated Mia.

“The NHS has been amazing with us and given Mia everything she needed,” he said. “If we lived in a different part of the world things could have been a lot different. Whatever she’s needed, she’s had, and that’s all down to the NHS.”

The five-year-old is set to start the last part of her treatment in the UK today, and it is set to end in July.