Parents urgently fundraising in aid of daughter with neuroblastoma thank Morpeth supporters
The parents of a five-year-old who have launched an urgent fundraising campaign to give their daughter the best chance of beating a childhood cancer have thanked their supporters in the Morpeth area.
Annabel Ashmore was diagnosed with high-risk neuroblastoma in April 2023. It has a long-term survival rate of 40-50 per cent at diagnosis and is responsible for 15 per cent of all childhood cancer deaths.
She has benefited from excellent treatment at the Great North Children’s Hospital in Newcastle and now her parents are looking ahead to give her the best chance of remaining cancer-free.
The FDA has approved DFMO in the USA, a drug that aims to prevent relapse, and the approval process is underway in the UK, but will not be possible soon enough for Annabel as she must enrol on the DFMO study shortly after her last treatment ends.
As her only option to access the drug is to travel back and forth from the USA, her mum and dad – Mike and Libby – are asking for people’s help to raise £105,000 by October.
The family live in Gateshead but Mike grew up in Morpeth and his parents, and a number of friends, are still in the area.
In Morpeth town centre, people may soon notice posters and buckets including more information and a QR code that have been produced to raise awareness of the campaign.
It has also received a boost from Morpeth Tandoori. The takeaway, on Chantry Place, suffered a devastating fire early last month.
After repairs were carried out, it re-opened on August 21 and the team decided to mark this with a fundraiser to help a good cause. Thanks to the votes of supporters, the campaign for Annabel was chosen.
Mike said: “We need every bit of help we can get given the situation we’re in with Annabel and so we’re thankful for all the donations so far.
“As for Morpeth specifically, my parents and friends in the area have been raising awareness and the response has been great – including all the votes for our campaign for the Morpeth Tandoori fundraiser. We’re very grateful for their support.”
You can support the campaign by donating online – www.solvingkidscancer.org.uk/children/annabel – or by texting ‘ANNABEL’ to 70085 followed by any whole amount up to £20.