Million pound appeal for 20-month-old Hallie who has leukaemia

An entreaty for a cardinal pounds has been launched to wage for leukaemia attraction for a 20-month-old girl.

Hallie, from Coventry, was diagnosed astatine Birmingham Children's Hospital erstwhile she was 8 months old.

But erstwhile her past stem compartment transplant failed to work, her household said they were told their champion enactment mightiness beryllium to wage for attraction successful the United States.

"It seems a precise large upland to climb," Hallie's aunt, Hannah Dugdale, said.

Hallie was archetypal diagnosed successful the summertime of 2022 portion connected a household vacation successful Spain and was flown location for treatment.

She has a uncommon signifier of leukaemia known arsenic JMML and has undergone chemotherapy, humor transfusions and 2 stem compartment transplants.

Ms Dugdale said they discovered connected Thursday the latest transplant had not worked and a advisor astatine the Birmingham infirmary suggested their lone remaining enactment was CAR T-cell therapy.

Those cells are past genetically modified successful the laboratory to marque them much effectual astatine targeting crab cells, multiplied, and infused backmost into the diligent driblet by drop.

A proceedings is owed to commencement astatine Great Ormond Street Hospital successful the coming months but Hallie's aunt said they would similar not to hold that agelong and were hoping to instrumentality her to America instead.

It volition necessitate a 3rd transplant, which the household said the NHS volition not fund.

Ms Dugdale said she and her sister had talked astir having children for a agelong clip and said Hallie is "the sweetest small girl, she's is truthful gentle and kind-natured".

Her niece "deserves to beryllium fixed each accidental astatine a agelong and blessed life", she added.

She said her sister, Kim, was "devastated arsenic immoderate parent would be" but besides overwhelmed by the enactment she received and the entreaty had already passed £180,000.

Ms Dugdale said she hoped they would beryllium capable to commencement the attraction earlier they raised the afloat amount.

Birmingham Children's Hospital and NHS England person been contacted for a response.

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