Jack Witchard, grandson of Pam and Brian Preece of Cwmtillery, is
doing well and doesn't need a Bone Marrow Transplant at the moment. However
much needed funds are still wanted to find a cure for Jacks illness. Jack's mum Paula tells me; "Jack has been in remission now for five months, but I am still very nervous about the future, as his disease is very unpredictable and the recurrence rate is quite high Although I must remain positive at all times, that Jack will be fine I am trying to raise awareness and much needed funds for Jack's illness, so you may see Collection boxes popping up around Abertillery.
This money will be used for trials to be carried out in search of a cure. It could take forever, it may never happen but I feel that I must do as much as I can to help. If we can't help him as parents then we can't expect anyone else too. The support that we have had from Abertillery already has been truly amazing and we are so touched" Langerhans' Cell Histiocytosis (LCH) is a serious and enigmatic cancer-like disorder, which, like leukaemia, originates in the bone marrow and spreads through the blood stream Many parts of the body especially the bones, skin, liver, lungs, digestive tract, brain and pituitary gland can be affected and around 15% of sufferers die.
Though LCH does occur in adults and teenagers, almost all the fatal cases are in young children, less than 3 years of age. Of all surviving patients, around one half has permanent damage to their liver, lungs, brain and/or endocrine glands, especially the pituitary gland. Thus, LCH often leaves a "legacy" of organ damage that impairs these young peoples' quality of life. In the worst of these instances, patients do not achieve a genuinely independent existence. LCH is an "orphan disease" because it is rare, with only 100 or so children diagnosed each year in the UK, so it achieves little prominence on the "research agenda", even in major children's hospitals. Most of the progress in our understanding of the condition and in providing better treatment has been achieved through publicity and funds raised by the families of child sufferers. This is where we come in.
Collection boxes are available around town, and your donation however small is much needed. If you belong to an organisation/club, how about naming Jacks charity as your chosen charity of the year and/or carry out a one off collection? How about a sponsored walk, slim or swim? If you have any ideas or would like to help in any way then please call in and see me at "This N That Fashions. If you would like to make a donation you can also do so with me at the shop.
Jack is fast growing into a fun loving little lad with a smile to melt an iceberg. Let's all pull together to help this very brave local tot and support his wonderfully dedicated family.
. About twelve shopkeepers in Abertillery are going on a sponsored slim to aid the above charity.We intend to start our weight loss programme from Monday March 1 (St David's Day). A full list of participating shops will be added as soon as it is finalised. Watch for posters around town! If you would like to join us or indeed if you would like to make a donation, then please give me a call or pop in.
I have just read in the local paper the latest on young Jack. He is 17 months old now, and has just completed his final course of chemotherapy. He will now have a few tests, so that he can be reassessed as to what course of treatment he will need in the future, if any. His mum and Dad say " We hope and pray that we get good results. This disease is so unpredictable and it is very hard for us to imagine what will happen next. We now feel that Jack's luck must change, he has been having treatment now for 13 and a half months. We would like to thank everyone, who kindly sponsored my husband Paul's abseil, he raised £850. This money is much needed by The Anthony Nolan Trust. It costs £70 for a potential donor to be matched. This cost has risen recently as originally it was only £50. So with your help we have just made it possible for another 12 potential donors. Also many thanks again to everybody who sponsored my husband Paul for his 25-mile mountain bike trial which he completed on Sunday after a gruelling five hours! He tells me that it was worth every ache and pain and for his effort he raised nearly £300, that's another for donors.
Get on your bike and help Jack... September 2003
The Anthony Nolan Trust is hosting a Three Valleys Mountain Bike Challenge at Bryn Bach Park Tredegar, to raise money to help people with leukaemia.
And the family and friends of 17 month old Jack, including grandmother Pam Preece of Cwmtillery, are taking part in the 20 mile ride and urge others to join them. By taking part in this event, we are determined to raise as much money as possible.
This will help the Anthony Nolan Trust tissue type more volunteers, one of whom may be the match that Jack and many others in the same position desperately need.
The cycle takes place on Sunday September 14th starting in Tredegar. The trust is asking each participant to raise as much money as possible for their life saving work - it does not receive any lottery funding or a penny from the Government.
Area manager Nia Chadwick said This is the first time the charity has undertaken a mountain biking event in South Wales.
If you are interested and require more information call 01865 875757 for an entry form or email your address to.. wales@anthonynolan.org.uk
Gwent Gazette 11/09/03
Jack Witchard Appeal March 2003
Here is the latest update on our son Jack. He is 11 months old now. We have some good news for you his latest test results were very good, so The Bonemarrow Transplant is still not needed at the moment. However he is still on Chemotherapy once every fortnight. This is called Maintenance Chemotherapy. He will be observed very closely during the course of this treatment. The intention is to gain control of the disease until hopefully it burns itself out. This however does not always happen. We hope and pray that it does in Jack's case. Although we have had good news we still take one day at a time. This disease is very mysterious and unpredictable so we are afraid to get too excited. Its like being on an emotional rollercoaster one minute we are high and the next minute we are low. His bonemarrow will be rechecked again in about 4 months so we hope and pray that by then it will be clear of disease, and if not clear hopefully no worse than it is now and The Bonemarrow Transplant will still not be needed. My husband Paul is doing a free fall abseil from Newport Transporter Bridge on Sunday 6th July to raise funds for The Anthony Nolan Trust. It costs The Anthony Nolan Trust £50 for each new person that they add onto The Bonemarrow Register. My sister Alison Preece will be trying to raise as much sponsorship on behalf of my husband Paul within our local community. Thank you very much for your support.
Best Regards, Paula Witchard.
My son Jack is 9 mths old now and needed a Bone Marrow Transplant. He has a very rare disease called LCH which needs chemotherapy. This disease only affects 2 children a year in Wales. At the moment Jack is responding so well to chemotherapy that the transplant is not needed, but he must continue to improve for the situation to remain this way. The disease however is very unpredictable so we can only hope and pray that Jack will beat this. We have a potential donor from overseas. We hope that we never need to use it. There are lots of other sick children like Jack who regularly need blood transfusions, blood related products, and even bone marrow transplants.
So I would like to urge the public to go and give blood and join The Bone Marrow Register you could save someone's life. Unless you have a sick child you would never know these dreadful diseases exist, and if you are as ignorant as I was you will think CANCER doesn't affect children and never babies. It could be your child. Think about it. It doesn't take a great deal of time and effort but it could make all the difference.
If possible I would like to Thank a few people for their support. Thankyou to all the people of Cwmtillery and surrounding areas who gave their time to give blood so that they could then join The Bone Marrow Register. Thankyou Jan and Roy of The Sixbells Hotel who very kindly held a charity night for Jack and raised £850.00. Thankyou Cheryl Morris from 'This n That Fashions' of The Arcade, Abertillery who very kindly started our appeal with the article in The Gwent Gazette. Lastly Many Thanks to my mum, dad and the rest of the family for the fantastic support that they have given to my husband Paul and I during this very difficult period in our lives.
Best Regards, Paula Witchard.