Three-year-old heads to US for rare cancer vaccine trial

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 1 Nov, 15:35 · Archive

Teddy Sloman, three, is travelling to New York for an experimental vaccine trial after his family raised over £250,000 for the treatment.

Three-year-old Teddy Sloman from Pontypool has been diagnosed with high-risk neuroblastoma, a rare and aggressive childhood cancer. After months of treatment, recent scans showed no active disease, prompting his family to proceed with an experimental vaccine trial in New York.

Teddy's illness began with symptoms initially believed to be teething and common childhood illnesses, but his condition deteriorated. He stopped eating and drinking, began vomiting and was sleeping unusually long periods. After his mother Sarah discovered a lump in his abdomen, investigations at The Grange University Hospital in Cwmbran revealed a large tumour that had spread to his bone marrow. Doctors warned his parents he might not survive the life-saving surgery.

His family raised over £250,000 to access the vaccine trial, which is available at only three centres worldwide: two in the United States and one in Rome. Sarah Sloman, a paediatric nurse, said the scan results felt like "Christmas came early" and that the trial had given the family a "glimmer of hope". She stated: "We've now given him the absolute best chance that we could possibly have in the world of medical science." The family are due to fly to New York next month.

How it is being reported

• Pontypool toddler, 3, set for US cancer trial after 'miracle' scan resultsThree-year-old Teddy Sloman from Pontypool is heading to New York for a cancer vaccine trial after his family raised more than £300,000 for treatment.Free Press Series · 1 Nov, 14:58
• Family given 'glimmer of hope' as toddler heads to US for cancer treatmentTeddy Sloman was diagnosed with high-risk neuroblastoma, a rare and aggressive childhood cancer.BBC South East Wales · 30 Oct, 22:58

In this story: Teddy Sloman · Sarah Sloman · Pontypool · New York · The Grange University Hospital

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