CHARLIE’S £25K TECH MEX HOPE
Parents and tumour lad, 13, fly out for ‘last chance’ treatment
chance. So far, so good, though it’s too early to say. Charlie is in good spirits and swimming between therapy.”
The family has won support from John Bishop, fellow comedian Katherine Ryan and actor Chris O’Dowd. They met at a Stand Up To Cancer event which helped raise £80,000 to send Charlie to Turkey for CyberKnife radiotherapy treatment.
That was in 2018 – after Charlie’s brain tumours spread. The treatment worked, he was declared cancer-free but the cruel disease returned last November.
Mum-of-three Toni, from Henley, Oxfordshire, says she was told no more
Charlie has therapy in Mexico could be done. She said: “I went into shock, I couldn’t eat or sleep. We tried to make it the best Christmas, knowing it could be his last.”
With the NHS offering palliative chemo, the family went private – paying £3,000 so Charlie could get drugs through a reservoir inserted under his scalp. But after one of four treatments, appointments were halted due to Covid-19. Toni said: “Every door was closing. I researched America and Turkey, but the pandemic made it hard to find anyone to treat
Charlie. Finding Doctor Williams was a miracle. I sent Charlie’s scans and we spoke for hours on Skype. Eventually, he said Charlie was eligible.” Arriving in Mexico brought its own drama – earthquake tremors hurtling Charlie across a room as he lay in bed. “We thought we would die,” said Toni.
She, Mark and Charlie are in Mexico until scans gauge how successful treatment has been. They continue to fundraise in case he needs further therapy.
Toni said: “Between treatment we’ve created memories including visiting a ranch where Charlie rode a horse. All we can hope now is that the therapy works.”
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency said there were UK trials of Charlie’s treatment but eligibility depended on individual circumstances. Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the John Radcliffe Hospital where Charlie had care, did not comment.
MUM TONI ON LAST-BID MISSION TO MEXICO
■■You can donate at justgiving.com/ crowdfunding/teamcharlie2020