Thanks so much for visiting Abby's fundraising page : TEAM ABBY  An Especially For You fund has been set up in Abby's name to support CLIC Sargent who are supporting her through this difficult time as she fights this life threatening bone cancer - Osteosarcoma.

You'll see our fundraising target on the right. Your donation can really help us smash this goal as CLIC make a difference to Abby's quality of life right now and support our family as we battle this disease with her.

 

Up-date : end of July 2013

Abby has only one more session of chemotherapy left which will be w/c 5th August.  She has been a true inspiration to everyone with her determination and courage throughout this huge battle.  It has been a long 9 months for her yet the whole way through she has faced each challenge and most memorable is her amazing smile....

Thank you all for the continued support and we have read each of your messages and been encouraged at every step by the love and prayers from so many of you.  Thank you....

Nearly there now......... xx

 

 

Her story from November 2012

Last summer Abby began to complain on and off about pains in her right leg and as she was only 8 years old we assumed it could be growing pains!  It persisted and the pain became more frequent so she would occasionally have some calpol to ease it.  Once she returned to school after the holidays it just didn't go away and we went along to the local doctors to see if they could check it out.   As nothing was obvious, no bruising, swelling, cuts or anything out of place, the GP advised we see how things go but come back in a few weeks if there was no change. 

There was no change other than the frequency of Abby mentioning her sore leg but then she began to limp a little so Pete made another appointment with the same GP a few days later.  The next morning (Wed 7th Nov) Abby asked for Calpol going to school and for me enough was enough and I booked an emergency appointment that day with another GP.  Dr Lewis had a good look and again although nothing was obvious, he decided we should have an X-ray at the local hospital in Stroud and off we went the next afternoon (Thurs 8th).

At work the next day (Fri 9th) I had a voicemail from Gloucester Royal asking me to bring Abby to meet the consultant regarding the X-ray.  My stomach hit the floor and despite being told there was nothing to worry about, I called Craig and asked him to meet me at the hospital as it seemed a little odd.  I picked Abby up from school and raced off to the paediatric outpatients dept and was told the consultant would see us soon.  A nurse came and did some initial 'obs' which involved numbing cream on the backs of both hand and giving her a wristband - at that point I knew this had to be serious... you don't just label kids if they're in for a day appointment do you?! 

Dr Kus arrived and with the CLIC Sargent nurse explained Abby had a large tumour above her knee - a 9 cm tumour !!  Craig arrived shortly after Abby and I were told and within a few minutes we found ourselves in a room on the Emily Kent Oncology ward with our minds in chaos trying to come to terms with the news we'd just heard.  Abby could have cancer - really ?!!  What now....??  No!!  Surely a mistake - it must be a muscle problem or a fracture not cancer.  The news then began to ripple through our families and close friends who, dealing with their own shock and grief began to gather round us all and support us during those first few horrific days where we had to come to terms with the news.

Various tests, blood tests, scans and an MRI - were all started that day with our first piece of good news received after the chest x-ray which confirmed the cancer had not spread anywhere else - we had caught it very early !

The horror of that day will live with us forever - there are no ways to explain how you get to grip with this news about your beautiful, healthly, fun loving little girl having a life threatening disease yet our CLIC nurse, Claire Harrison and the team in Emily Kent, were there to support and explain the next steps of tests and expected treatment.

It was a harrowing 2 week wait for various appointments and results of the biopsy which did indeed confirm Osteosarcom.  Bone cancer in Abby's right femur just above the knee.

Treatment started just 2 weeks after the formal diagnosis mid November at the Bristol Children's Hospital and has been a gruelling schedule since with long stints in hospital with Craig, Becky, Pete and I giving Abby round the clock care in hopsital or at home.

Abby's consultant explained the process to us all and in easy to understand terms for Abby.  Helen told her she would have to make Abby very sick with chemotherapy before it would make her better.  

After the first 10 week cycle Abby had surgery the the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital in Birmingham by Mr Rob Grimer to remove the diseased bone and replace most of her thigh bone and her knee with a titanium replacment EPR which amazingly extends through a motorised implant in her knee which means she doesn't require regular surgery as she grows !  Abby recovered amazingly well after surgery and left the hospital in 6 days which was a record for Mr Grimer and we'd expected to be in for 2 weeks - well done Abby !!!

 

Following the surgery in March we met again with Abby's consultant who told us ABBY IS IN REMISSION....  It was amazing to hear but what it really means is there is no 'detectable' cancer in her body but as they cannot be detected at microscopic level there many be rogue cells around her system which need to be killed off and the second phase of chemo was started in April.  During the period Abby was off chemo her hair grew back and she gained loads of strength which helped assure us that she will return to the normal happy active little girl that she was before this took hold.  She is amazing....

She has a long road ahead with currently 12 more chemo sessions to go right through to the summer.  She is still on crutches and receiving regular physio so that she can maintain full use of her leg.  She increasingly uses her wheelchair to scoot around as chemo exhausts her and she struggles to eat which impacts her energy levels.  

It has been a lot for a little girl to take in but she is amazing... Many of you have seen the smiles on her face regularly on her facebook page 'Abby Whitelaw'.  Yet underneath there are also a lot of tears and huge battle against the horrid side effects of these toxic drugs.

 

It's going to be a very tough few months but it's amazing to look back and see how far she has come already.  She is beating this terrible disease slowly and surely and getting closer to the finish line.  In November, March seemed so far away and here we are now heading for the summer months and on the countdown for the end of her treatment.  She WILL beat this.

We have shared this journey with others and met some amazing children with their own battles.  There are many families like us who battle cancer every day - far too many and more research and support is needed.  We have met some amazing people and we stand alongside those who also suffer the pain and heartache of watching their child go through cancer.

With all your support and encouragement for our little girl wekeep smiling and fighting with her so that Abby can be that happy, healthy little girl once again.

There is so much support for Abby and as a family and wider family we are constantly overwhelmed by the love, prayers and thoughts so many of your send us each day as we struggle through some days and breeze through others !!

Thank you and please keep your message coming..........

Cath, Pete & Ellis, Craig, Becky, Ben & Jonny

 

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