A fundraising campaign for 16-year-old Elizabeth Hatton has raised £25,000 after she was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer.
£25,000 raised in just five days for Harrogate girl with rare cancer A fundraising campaign to support a 16-year-old girl from Harrogate with a rare form of cancer has raised £25,000 after just five days. The campaign was launched in support of Harrogate Grammar pupil Elizabeth Hatton. Elizabeth was recently taken to A&E as she was experiencing abdominal pain and some bloating. The previous day, an out of hours GP had suggested it could be due to an ovarian cyst. However, following a scan, doctors revealed Elizabeth had tumours on both ovaries, multiple in her liver and a larger mass in her omentum and peritoneum. Just days later, Elizabeth’s mum, Vicky Robayna, was told her daughter’s cancer was in fact a rare and aggressive sarcoma - Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumour. There are only 12 cases of this rare cancer in the UK each year - 80% of which are in males. Only 15% of those diagnosed have survived beyond 5 years. Following the diagnosis, Vicky launched a fundraising page in order to consult with Emily Slotkin - a specialist in America - in the hope that she will work alongside Elizabeth’s consultant in the UK. Vicky said:
“Our sole priority now is to give Elizabeth the best possible chance of being in that 15% whilst ensuring we make the most of every single day we have. “The future is far from certain, and whilst we may not be able to give Elizabeth the future she has dreamed of, we are determined to give her the best possible life for however long she has left.”In just five days, the fundraising campaign has raised more than £25,000, smashing the original target. Any additional funds will go towards helping Elizabeth realise her dream of becoming a photographer. Vicky said:
“If we raise funds beyond this [target] we would like to help Elizabeth to purchase photography equipment. “Her dream is to become a professional photographer and although in normal circumstances we would have encouraged her to save for what she needed, our normal rules flew out of the window about the same time as her diagnosis flew in. “Additionally, we would like to make sure that Elizabeth has as many memorable moments as possible, both so she can have incredible experiences and so that her friends and family get to store as many incredible memories of her as possible.”The consultant costs around £5,000 per appointment, including a review of the latest scans and testing. Elizabeth's family hope to use these appointments at pivotal points in her treatment when her consultants feel it is most appropriate. Contribute towards Elizabeth’s fundraising campaign here. Read more local stories from Your Harrogate here.
Thousands expected for St Wilfrid's Procession in Ripon this weekend
Second arrest made after cattle theft in Ripley
Residents call for rethink over chicken farm expansion near Boroughbridge
Independent cocktail bar in Harrogate celebrates second birthday
Harrogate station among safest in Yorkshire for women travelling alone
Giant Yorkshire pudding stunt to celebrate Yorkshire Day
Town defender Anthony O'Connor leaves club by mutual consent
Ripon volunteer awarded British Empire Medal for community work
WATCH: Jason Manford gives 'honest' review of Leeds Bradford Airport
Harrogate council gets to work on updating town's signage
Councillor's charity head-shave fundraising appeal passes £10,000
Man arrested after £17,000 cattle theft near Ripley
Yoga teacher brings outdoor classes to Harrogate's Stray
Great Yorkshire Show flower wall donated to Harrogate hospice
Harrogate MP warns of 'systematic failure' over rogue builders
Harrogate widow turns grief into lifeline for hundreds
Harrogate swimming club makes history with three British champions
Bishop Monkton gets neighbourhood area designation
Appeal after attempted ram raid at Wetherby Services
Formerly paralysed athlete brings nationwide 5K challenge to Ripon
