THE family of young cancer sufferer Oliver Field face a tough New Year after receiving bad news just before Christmas.
It had been thought the two-year-old toddler from Dalton was beating a rare form of the disease after a series of tests in the summer showed no evidence of it.
He had been diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer, when he was just eight months old.
But mum Laura has revealed that Oliver faces another tough battle against the disease – and this time it could be even harder.
And the family is desperate to step up fundraising in case Oliver will need expensive life-saving treatment abroad.
The cost could be as high as £250,000 and the money would need to be raised quickly as Oliver may require the treatment within six months.
Laura said: “Oliver had an MRI at Leeds General Infirmary one week before Christmas and when we got the results we were given the devastating news that his tumour is back.
“He has a 5cm tumour very close to where his original was last year. The original one was attached to his adrenal gland and this one is just above his kidneys and is actually squashing one of them.
“With neuroblastoma it’s really hard to treat a second time, especially when it comes back in same place.
“We are hoping it’s not spread and further tests at the end of next week will confirm that.
“He has had a bone marrow test to see if it’s spread there which it hasn’t before, so we are hoping it’s not done so this time.
“The doctors will also put a radioactive dye into his blood which shows up neuroblastoma and where it has spread within the body.
“Oliver is so well in himself which is why it has come as such a shock. It was just a routine scan which has shown the new tumour up.
“Oliver will start chemotherapy again next week, starting on Monday, January 7. Hopefully that will shrink the tumour, but the doctor said it will be very hard.
“We are stepping up our fundraising and trying to raise about £250,000.
“If the treatment in the UK can stabilise this he may be eligible to go abroad for further treatment not available yet in the UK, but the cost is not usually funded by the NHS.
“We need the people of Huddersfield and Yorkshire to help us get to that massive target.
“We have witnessed whole towns getting on board with other children’s appeals in Selby, York and Knaresborough for three other children with this dreadful disease.’’
One young boy from York suffering from neuroblastoma has gone to Germany for treatment and the cost is in the region of £250,000.
“The problem is if we need to go down an overseas route the medical service there will need the money first,’’ said Laura. “That is why there is the urgency to massively increase the fundraising here.’’
During his battle withneuroblastoma Oliver has had to endure constant injections, operations and endless hours in hospital.
His treatment ended in July and doctors found no evidence of the cancer in August.
Laura and husband Paul had set up the Oliver Field Appeal to raise money for treatment.
The appeal continues to raise funds with the total raised now at a grand sum of £41,000.
Laura had always warned there was a risk of the cancer returning which is why the fundraising never stopped.
If Oliver does not need to use the fund in the future it will go to other neuroblastoma sufferers and their families after five years.
Neuroblastoma is a tumour which begins in the adrenal gland and runs through to the abdomen, chest and the skull following the line of the spinal cord.
To help go to the Oliver Field Appeal website at www.theoliverfieldappeal.co.uk and click on donations. Alternatively go to http://www.facebook.com/theoliverfieldappeal.
Text and web donations can be made.
To text send OLIF95 £10 (or any whole amount £1 to £10) and send to 70070
Or web donation can be made at www.justgiving.com/Oliver-field-appeal
