The family of a ten-year-old girl from Aberdeenshire has been given a final glimmer of hope after raising a staggering sum to fund a last-chance cancer treatment only available in the United States.
A Devastating Diagnosis and a Race Against Time
Sophia Wilson from Sauchen, Aberdeenshire, was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of blood cancer called Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML) in July. Her parents, Kim and Craig Wilson, were told she urgently needed an umbilical stem cell transplant to survive. However, in a cruel twist just before Christmas, they received the devastating news that her condition had advanced too far for the transplant to proceed. The only option offered within the UK was palliative care.
Refusing to give up, Sophia's parents and her godmother, Pammy Morrison, launched a remarkable fundraising campaign. Their goal was to secure £600,000 to cover the costs of a specialised drug, treatment, travel, and accommodation in America. This drug represented the only viable chance to reduce Sophia's leukaemia levels enough to potentially allow the life-saving transplant to happen.
A Community's Overwhelming Response
The public response was nothing short of extraordinary. Donations poured in, and the fundraising target was surpassed in a matter of weeks. On Christmas Eve, Ms Morrison posted a heartfelt message of gratitude on the GoFundMe page, reflecting on the journey from being told only palliative care was available to securing this new chance.
Sophia's parents described their daughter as a 'beautiful, bright and funny' child who has faced her ordeal with 'incredible strength and courage'. They shared that after an initial positive response to treatment, they were heartbroken to learn her cancer had become extremely aggressive, derailing the transplant plans.
A Treatment Begins, Fueled by Hope
Thanks to the rapid fundraising and the efforts of medical teams in the US, Europe, and Aberdeen, Sophia was able to begin her crucial treatment on December 20. The family is now awaiting confirmation on whether the vital drug can be formally prescribed and shipped to the UK.
In a statement, the family expressed their profound thanks: "When you know there is a drug available in the US that is specifically designed to help Sophia’s exact type of leukaemia, the only real option for us was to try and find a way to get it. We now have hope and cannot thank everyone enough."
Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML) is a rare cancer affecting white blood cells, with around 3,100 people diagnosed annually in the UK. For Sophia and her family, the overwhelming generosity of donors has provided a lifeline and a fighting chance where there was none before.
