Jesse was diagnosed with high-risk Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML) in August. After being told that a rare gene arrangement means that Jesse is in a high-risk category and the prognosis is poor, his parents Dave and Zoe launched a crowdfunding page to try to raise around a quarter of a million pounds to pay for pioneering treatment in the US or Far East.
After being diagnosed, Jesse was transferred from Northampton General to Queens Medical Centre in Nottingham for chemotherapy. The first round of chemotherapy was unsuccessful, but Jesse was accepted onto a clinical drug trial at Birmingham Children’s Hospital, a trial that involved chemotherapy combined with a FLT3 Inhibitor Drug that, it was hoped, would work despite the rare gene arrangement.
Jesse has now finished that 21-day trial and the family are awaiting the results.
Dave Mansfield said:
“These last eleven weeks in hospital, Jesse has demonstrated more strength than we knew possible. He is fighting with every ounce of strength he has and doing that whilst worrying about upsetting his parents. Anyone who knows Jesse knows that he has the biggest heart and personality.
“We will do everything in our power to save our beautiful boy, but we have been forced to call upon the kindness of others.”
Due to Jesse’s unique genetics, the chance of a Stem Cell Transplant not being successful is significantly higher than in other children. His best option is likely to be further chemotherapy with the FLT3 inhibitor drug treatment. This treatment is not available on the NHS and could potentially cost between £250,000 and £500,000.
Dave added:
“We’ve set up a Just Giving page to try to give Jesse a chance, and the early response has been amazing. It’s given us strength to think about the next, unpredictable steps in fighting this awful disease and we have to be ready to fight with Jesse.
“Anyone who knows Zoe and I know that we are private people and that reaching out and asking for help is something we have never done, and wouldn’t ever want to do. But we have no choice now, we need help, and lots of it.”
To find out more about Jesse’s Journey and to donate, visit the Just Giving page at https://www.justgiving.com/
