A 14-year-old boy who is living with an aggressive brain tumour has thanked thousands of strangers for helping him access private treatment abroad.
Oscar Fairs should be starting a new year at school this September, instead he is seeking life-saving treatment in France after being given months to live.
Oscar endured seven operations, chemotherapy and radiotherapy following his diagnosis with an ependymoma in August 2023. Six weeks ago, Oscar’s family found out his brain cancer had become resistant to radiotherapy. Doctors said there is no other treatment available in the UK.
Incredibly, the GoFundMe page the family set up to raise £100,000 to help Oscar access private treatment abroad reached its target in a matter of days thanks to the kindness of strangers.
Oscar’s message to his supporters
This week, the family packed up and moved to France where they plan to be for a year. Oscar began his treatment yesterday (Thursday 5th September), undergoing surgery at the Centre Oscar Lambret to fit ports in his chest and brain to deliver the chemo treatment which is called MEMMAT.
Oscar before surgery
Oscar’s mum Natalie said: “Because our options had run out in the UK, we have been forced to leave all our loved ones behind, Oscar has had to leave his home, family and all friends, to try this treatment. It’s heartbreaking, but it means so much to us that family, friends and even complete strangers have donated to help give Oscar the best chance possible.”
Ependymoma is a rare type of brain tumour affecting around 30 children in the UK every year. Of children aged 0-14 years with an aggressive ependymoma, around three quarters will survive beyond five years. The team at the Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence at the University of Plymouth is working on a number of projects to further our understanding of this tumour type.
Dr Karen Noble, our Director of Research, Policy and Innovation, said: “It is unacceptable that Oscar and his family have had to move their lives abroad to access private treatment because there are no more options for him in the UK. We desperately need new treatments and the key to finding these lies in discovery research. But charities cannot fund this research alone, we need the Government to step up and invest more so that children like Oscar have more options and better outcomes in the future.”
To find out more about our work to find a cure for childhood brain tumours and to donate, visit our Childhood Cancer Awareness Month page.
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Published Friday 6th September 2024.