Auryn's Heroes

Auryn is our charming, fun-filled, Avengers mad, loving boy who, last year at 4 years of age, was diagnosed with Stage 4 Neuroblastoma. This rare and aggressive form of childhood cancer affects approximately 7 to 10 children a year in Ireland. At the outset of this difficult journey we were told that treatment would take 18 months. The good news is that he is responding well to treatment - 13 rounds of chemotherapy, two major surgeries, two stem cell transplants, 14 rounds of radiotherapy and multiple bone marrow aspirates, blood transfusions and other medical procedures (in the midst of a global health pandemic). With little disease left, he is now in the last phase of his treatment plan in Crumlin - immunotherapy, which he will complete by the end of the year.  Hopefully, this will lead to the clear scan result that we are so desperately waiting for. 
 
Even though he has endured so much, Stage 4 Neuroblastoma has an extremely high relapse rate, and very little treatment options if relapse occurs. Sadly, this results in low survival rates. There is a clinical trial for a vaccine that helps prevent relapse in Neuroblastoma children in the Slone Kettering Memorial Hospital in New York. The vaccine has had very promising Phase 1 results and we will do everything in our power to save our wonderful boy and get Auryn this treatment. This vaccine is not available in Ireland, so our only option is to travel overseas. We have set up this fundraising campaign called Auryn's Heroes and are seeking to fundraise €375k by January 2021.  All funds raised will go towards getting Auryn the treatment he needs.

This cancer journey has impacted Auryn and our family so much, taking an enormous toll on both Auryn's physical and mental wellbeing. Aside from all the horrible medical procedures, he has missed out on so much of his childhood in the last year - the simple things that people take for granted have been denied to him. Due to his compromised immune system and constant risk of infection, we were required to keep him indoors, out of school and away from other children. Going into a shop, visiting another person's home, or having a playdate with other children are some examples of things that have been out of reach for Auryn for months and months on end. He has been surrounded by sadness, unspeakable horrors in hospital and endured medical procedure after procedure.  We just want to give Auryn back a normal healthy childhood and put this journey behind both him and us for good. 

We are asking you to consider being one of Auryn's Heroes and donating to give him the best chance to beat cancer once and for all. Your support will be forever appreciated and if you are able to share this campaign with your friends, family and colleagues, we would be very grateful.

 Auryn's parents