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Laura Ashley 
Welcome to our Child's Web Page. It has been provided to keep people updated about our Child.
On
September 18, 1997, our lives were forever changed. Laura, at age 3, was diagnosed with Stage III (n-myc
amplified) neuroblastoma, a rare childhood cancer. Laura endured five rounds of chemotherapy, two surgeries and two stem cell transplants. Laura was in remission until she relapsed in November 2002. Laura had surgery and nine rounds of chemotherapy. She was NED in June 2003. We then traveled to MSKCC to receive 3F8 Antibody therapy. Laura had completed 8 cycles. We were preparing to head to New York for her 9th cycle when she relapsed in October 2004. Laura has had 10 days of radiation and completed her first cycle of chemotherapy. We are praying everyday for another miracle. Please remember Laura in your prayers.
Journal
Tuesday, February 12, 2008 3:08 PM CST I am sorry I have not posted in a very long time. The holidays were very difficult for our family. Laura loved Christmas, being with her family and especially opening presents. It was difficult for Mark to be opening presents without his sister. If you have every heard the song by Kenney Chesney “Who You’d Be Today”, this song echoes how we feel. Her presence is missed more than one could ever imagine. We know that our life will never be the same without Laura.
We all try very hard to keep ourselves busy to help get us through each day. On a daily basis, our goal is to raise money for the Soupy for Loopy® Foundation to raise awareness of Neuroblastoma and funds for a cure. We are looking for your help and ideas to raise money. The cost of a clinical trial is sizeable but if it saves one child’s life then it has made a huge difference. You cannot put a price on a beautiful life. The last clinical trial that Laura was on was originally for brain tumors. Because these solid tumors responded to these new drugs there were clinical trials opened for all types of solid tumors, one being Neuroblastoma. Laura unfortunately had a mixed response from this trial which means her tumor responded but her bone marrow did not.
The pharmaceutical companies do not want to “waste” their time on Neuroblastoma research because the number of children diagnosed each year (650-700) is not enough to interest them in making new drugs to fight this disease. This is the reason so many parents are getting involved to help raise funds and awareness for this horrible disease. Please visit this link below; there you will see a live video about a handful of mothers who teamed up and baked over 96,000 cookies during the holidays with the hope of raising $250,000 of the $2 million dollars needed for an advanced 3F8 antibody therapy clinical trial, currently the additional treatment for children with Neuroblastoma at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.
Leapfrog Interactive, who assisted with the Soupy for Loopy® Foundation website, held their own “Soup Day” with the proceeds benefiting the Soupy for Loopy® Foundation. They brought in crock pots of different kinds of soup to their workplace and spent time together to help fight for a cure for this disease. “Any soup” will do to make a difference. You can see their fundraising pictures in the photo album on the Soupy for Loopy® website – www.soupyforloopy.org. As you can see, anyone can make a difference.
The devastating news that your child has cancer is unbearable. But the worst nightmare is when your child does not survive the disease with all the technology we have in this country today. Please help us end this war and find a cure “one bowl at a time”.
If you have a moment, please stop by and visit the Soupy for Loopy® website, it’s amazing. Laura’s Auntie Sandy has worked very hard establishing this Foundation in Laura’s memory and has done an incredible job with this website. Please leave a message as to what you think of it. I know she would appreciate the feedback.
We are currently looking for any contact to help us get Laura’s favorite soup out on the specialty shop shelves or supermarket shelves with the proceeds to benefit Soupy for Loopy® Foundation to raise awareness of Neuroblastoma and funds for a cure. If you can help us or have any other fundraising ideas, please e-mail me at sy1025@comcast.net or info@soupyforloopy.org. We can all make a difference – our children are the future.
Thank you for all your notes in Laura’s guestbook, they are truly heartwarming.
With our Love,
Mark, Debbie, Mark and our beautiful Angel Laura
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