Telford girl with rare cancer sees good results in trial

Dulcie is having ongoing treatment at Leeds Children's Hospital

A six-year-old girl has been the first in the UK to trial a new treatment in her continuing battle against a rare form of cancer.

Dulcie, from Lawley, in Telford, was diagnosed with a stage four neuroblastoma in December last year.

The trial at Leeds Children's Hospital has shown "good" initial results in reducing her cancer.

Her consultant Dr Martin Elliott said he was pleased with Dulcie's response to the treatment so far.

After being diagnosed on 8 December 2021, Dulcie has undergone three different types of chemotherapy, stem cell harvesting, blood transfusions and surgery to remove a 1.2kg (2lb) tumour from her abdomen.

However, her family was told her cancer was no longer responding to treatment and so she moved on to the trial which involves using a newly developed antibody and a stimulator to encourage Dulcie's own immune system to attack the tumour.

Debra said the treatment had so far shown good results

"She was reassessed after the second round and it showed that the bone marrow was clearing up, if not clear, and [the measure of] how many spots of cancer she has in her body was reducing," said her mum Debra.

"So she has had a good response."

While Debra said Dulcie had found the treatment difficult, having a number of side effects, "cheeky and sassy" Dulcie had maintained her "smile that lights up the room".

Amid a rising cost of living, the regular trips to Leeds have also added pressure on to the family, but Debra said they would do everything for their daughter

"I said to my husband that even if we have to eat beans on toast and live in a cardboard box, as long as we have Dulcie with us, that is all that matters, she is our life," she added.

Despite her treatment, Dulcie remains "cheeky and sassy", her mum said

The family's spirits were also lifted when Dulcie received a special message from singer Olly Murs wishing her well, while the people of Telford have also rallied around her.

"It has been so overwhelming that everyone has come around and supported us," said Debra.

"They give us the boost we need."

Dr Elliott thanked the families who help with "vital research".

"If the treatment is successful in controlling her disease, Dulcie will then have standard treatments including high-dose chemotherapy, stem cell transplant and radiotherapy," he said.

Dulcie has a fourth round of the treatment in January and after that will be reassessed

For Debra, however, she said she remained apprehensive.

"Nobody can give us the lottery numbers and it is unpredictable," she said.

"That part of it scares me."

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