A 6-year-old girl who was diagnosed with an aggressive type of cancer is now in remission after trialling a breakthrough treatment in the US.
Erin Cross, from Chester, was battling leukaemia here in the UK after years of chemotherapy.
But when ITV’s This Morning shed light on the young girl’s heart-breaking case, enough money was raised to send her to Seattle, US, for experimental treatment that has now given her the all clear.
The public appeal saw Erin’s mother, Sarah and Anthony Cross, reach out to a local newspaper. Sarah then visited Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby on This Morning to talk about her daughter, and viewers were so moved that they collectively donated £100,000 to help the family get the life-saving treatment.
During the interview, she told the daytime hosts about how her and Anthony had gone through many rounds of IVF to conceive Erin, and how heart-breaking it was when Erin was diagnosed with leukaemia – and even more devastating when she later relapsed.
“We couldn’t comprehend it,” she told Phil and Holly.
“It was such a shock to us when Erin relapsed after sailing through two and a half years of intensive treatment.”
The shocking story encouraged viewers to donate money to the cause, and the overwhelming response meant that Erin was able to undergo treatment that has now saved her life.
When she arrived in the States, she was offered a new type of T-Cell therapy and was one of the first people in the world to trial it. The treatment includes creating cancer-attacking cells in a lab which are then injected into the body to fight off the disease.
Thanks to this life-saving treatment, Erin has been given the all clear after a series of blood tests that confirm the cancer has gone. It also means that she can undergo a bone marrow transplant that would ensure the leukaemia won’t be coming back.
Upon hearing the wonderful news, Sarah “broke down crying” and quickly spread the good news to her friends and family.
We are so pleased to hear about Erin’s recovery and wish the family all the best for the future.
Would you ever trial an experimental treatment if it was potentially life-saving? Have you been affected by any of these issues? Let us know via Facebook or Twitter (@CloserOnline)
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