Next stop Florida in Ruddi Waterworth-Jones ’s cancer fight

Nov 20 2009 by Sam Casey, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

A LONGWOOD tot will become the youngest Briton ever to have a groundbreaking cancer treatment in America.

Health chiefs have confirmed that Ruddi Waterworth-Jones will go to the United States for advanced proton therapy.

A panel of NHS experts has approved funding for the one-year-old to undergo the treatment in Florida.

But his family will now have to raise an estimated £10,000 to support the costs of the seven-week trip to Jacksonville.

Ruddi’s mum Ali Jones, 38, said: “He will be the youngest ever from England to be getting the treatment.

“There are still some uncertainties but I’m delighted because I know it’s the best thing for Ruddi.”

Ruddi was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma – a rare form of cancer of the soft tissue on the prostate – when he was just six months old.

He had to have an operation in September to remove his bladder and prostate.

The tumour on his prostate was successfully removed in the operation, but doctors still have concerns about two areas near his bowel where the cancer has a higher risk of returning.

He could have standard radiotherapy, but that would affect the growth of his pelvis and his ability to walk.

Proton therapy is a much more accurate treatment, which involves firing a beam of protons at tumours so that they receive a very high dose of radiation without damaging surrounding tissue.

The family faced a nervous wait to find out if the NHS National Commissioning Group’s proton therapy clinical reference panel would approve funding.

They have now been given the go-ahead for his treatment to start on December 7.