Teen to have US cancer therapy after £30k raised
ATEENAGER who is fighting bone cancer is set to travel to the United States this summer after more than £30,000 was raised in his honour in just six weeks.
Jordan Giddins, who has Ewing’s sarcoma, will undergo a gruelling nine-week course of proton beam radiotherapy in June in a bid to destroy the cancerous cells.
It is the second time the 17-yearold has battled a life-threatening condition after previously surviving hemaphagocytic histiocytosis, a rare blood disease which affects just one in every one million people.
Despite undergoing a successful bone marrow transplant, donated by his sister, Bethany, in October 2011, Jordan was dealt a further blow when doctors found a tennis ballsize tumour on his ribs in July 2015.
The cost of the pioneering proton beam therapy in America will be covered by the NHS, but his family still need to fund living costs and expenses during the three months he receives the treatment.
Jordan’s mother, Mandy Giddins, a port that has touched us – people have gone out of their way to help.
“They’ve made it a lot easier for us. It means so much. They are all really willing him to get better. That plays a huge part in how we feel about all the fundraising.”
Jordan is due to have surgery at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital on May 11 in which three of his ribs will be removed for ease of access to the tumour.
He will face further chemotherapy following the operation before heading out to the US for the pioneering radiotherapy.
“The tumour has already shrunk from the chemo and they hope it will be dead when they take it out,” said Mandy. “They’ve told us the proton beam radiotherapy is the best treatment available. We’re expecting to go out in mid-June and hopefully by then he will be over the chemo and better and stronger.
“We’re just so grateful for everyone’s support. Everyone has wanted to do their bit and it’s overwhelming that people want to help so much.”