Two-year-old Stella Rogers and her mum Allison Hyde pictured at their Glen Iris Close home in Canterbury. Picture: Barry Goodwin.

by Sian Napier

The Kentish Gazette have launched a new campaign for 2010 to help a Canterbury toddler and her family battle a rare form of cancer.

Two-year-old Stella Rogers was diagnosed with neuroblastoma in June. She has already undergone 70 days of aggressive chemotherapy, major surgery to remove a tumour the size of a large yoghurt pot, liver infections, stem cell treatment and six months of oral chemotherapy.

In January she will start a three-week course of radiotherapy.

But, despite amazing her family and medical staff with the way she has battled through this gruelling regime, Stella is still not out of the woods. In spite of having the most up-to-date care available in the UK, she has a bleak future ahead, with her chances of long-term survival low.

However, an expensive antibody therapy, costing upwards of £250,000, could increase her chances of survival significantly. With this treatment, antibodies are injected into the bloodstream and travel around the body attaching to any cancer cells that they find, attacking and killing them.

But the treatment is available only in the USA, Canada and Australia.

Stella’s mother Allison Hyde and father John Rogers are hoping kind and generous people will help them raise the money to give their daughter the best chance of life.

For it to be really effective it needs to be started by February 10, 100 days after Stella received her stem cell treatment.

“This is not a crackpot American treatment but standard therapy in the USA, Canada and Australia for children with Stella’s form of cancer, neuroblastoma,” said her mother, who was an A&E nurse at Kent and Canterbury Hospital for many years.

“We have sold my grandmother’s jewellery and everything else that we can to try to raise the money, but with February 10 fast approaching we have no choice but to appeal to people we don’t even know for help, and that is not easy.

“But we are in a desperate situation now, with our child’s life totally dependent on other people.”

Miss Hyde and Mr Rogers, who live in Glen Iris Close, Canterbury, also have another daughter, Zoe, who is four. They say the stress of Stella’s illness and prolonged spells in hospital has put pressure on them all.

Miss Hyde said: “The treatment Stella has received so far at the Marsden has been absolutely fantastic but if she is to have the best chance of surviving she needs to go to America.

“She is lucky to have survived so far, so she really is a little fighter.

“Just 10 years ago every child with this cancer would die, but that’s not the case now. But Stella needs this American treatment to have the best chance of survival and we will do anything to keep her alive.”

Stella’s parents have set up a website at www.forstella.org, where people can find out more about her and her form of cancer and donate to the appeal for her treatment.

A charity called the 2Simple Trust is also supporting the family and handling the money for her appeal.

If the money is not used for Stella it will go to other children who need it.

Cheques, made payable to the 2Simple Trust – Stella Rogers Appeal may be sent to the trust at 3-4 Sentinel Square, Brent Street, London NW4 2EL.

Other ways of donating to the appeal may be found on the website.

Read more reaction in this week's Kentish Gazette, out New Year's Eve.