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Written by David Mills
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Thursday, 27 August 2009 |
Dave and Julie Mayer of the Heroes Bar
The Sophie Atay Neuroblastoma Appeal
Last Saturday night in La Cala Finestrat was the time and place for the little known ‘Sophie Atay Appeal’
In preparation, over 60 different organisations and businesses contributed prizes, cash, or supported the cause in other ways. During the evening, there were loads of fun games that involved the audience and a brilliant line up of Benidorm’s Top talent including B4! Boy-band; David Mayer of El Divo and Westlife fame; Miss Shape comedy drag act; Phil Howell, singer; Colin Shaw, Top Comedian; Adam Beat, Boxer; singer Soozie Kay; a Disco Karaoke; buffet games and much more.
The total amount raised on the night was a staggering 3,472:73€, well over the 2,000€ that the 200 people attending had originally aimed for. The local businesses most involved and gave their support were Bonus Week Breaks (500€); Telecom Solutions; Heroes Bar; The Union Jack Bar; Gemini fashion store; Cool FM and the Round Town News.
Sophie is a gorgeous, inspiring little girl who was diagnosed as having Neuroblastoma when she was just 15 months old. Her cancer had spread to her bone marrow and liver making her stage 4 cancer ‘high risk’, the worst case scenario for this disease. Neuroblastoma is a rare and aggressive malignant cancer with horrendous survival rates as low as 20%. Relapse is very common which is reflected in the survival rate. If relapse does occur there is no cure at the moment in Europe. After extensively searching through the current treatments available, an option for Sophie would be to have a monoclonal antibody known as 3f8 hopefully, if available, at the same time as she has her Accutane (oral chemotherapy).
Combined, this treatment gives Sophie a staggering 80-90% of survival. The huge downside of this is that the only place in the world that offers this treatment is a hospital in New York called Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital. The cost for this treatment alone can be in excess of US$500,000. Another option would be if (God forbid) Sophie ever did relapse, knowing there is currently no cure in Europe for relapse, the only effective treatment available in the world to cure is at the same Hospital (Memorial Sloan Kettering). Again, the cost of this treatment is going cost around US$500,000.
Fewer than 100 children are diagnosed with neuroblastoma in the UK each year. Most children who get this cancer are younger than five years old. Neuroblastoma is the second most common solid tumour in childhood and makes up 8% of the total number of children's cancers.
Owners of the Heroes Bar, Dave and Julie Mayer, lost their 17-year-old son to cancer and used this opportunity to do for Sophie something they were unable to do for their own son. A truly heroic act…
If you wish to donate, contact Julie Mayer on 965 873 271 or Email
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or go to http://www.justgiving.com/sophie-appeal
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 11 November 2009 )
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