The family of a little boy who has been battling leukaemia since he was just a year old said they are 'over the moon' after he received the all-clear from doctors.
Dillan Ramsey, five, was first diagnosed with the cancer in May 2020. The 'kind and amazing' youngster since relapsed four times as he underwent gruelling chemotherapy, radiation treatment, cell therapy and a bone marrow transplant.
In a bid for hope, his mum Amy Ramsey, from Manchester, set up a Go Fund Me page to raise money for a potentially life-saving clinical trial in the United States. More than £580,000 was donated, with a host of influential supporters backing Dillan's campaign including Michelle Keegan, Manchester City and England footballer John Stones, designer Nadine Merabi and actors Brooke Vincent and Cath Tyldesley.
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In September, Dillan and his family flew out to Washington where he began a privately-funded new type of CAR T-cell therapy, which is only licenced in the US. Following weeks of demanding treatment, his mum said yesterday (November 14) said he had received 'all-clear' on a number of test results.
In an update posted on the Go Fund Me page, Amy said Dillan's blood, bone marrow and spinal fluid results had come back as clear. She said the family were 'over the moon' as they set to fly back to the UK last night.
Dillan will now undergo another transplant, with a donor already found. Amy said he will then spend another three months in hospital before they 'can go back to normal life for the first time ever'.
Amy wrote: "WHAT A DIFFERENCE A WEEK MAKES… RESULTS ARE IN!!!!! HES GOT THE ALL CLEAR!!!!
"Blood CLEAR. Bone Marrow CLEAR. Spinal Fluid CLEAR.
"It worked! He did it! We did it… We are flying home on Tuesday evening.
"Dillan will be going into transplant very soon when we get back, he will have just over a week at home before being admitted to start his conditioning chemo. The donor is a 27 year old Male from Germany, and he is donating bone marrow on the 6th of December.
"The hope is to reset his immune system twice with the Car and the Bone Marrow and is our best chance at cure. The transplant will be tough on him because of what his body has just been through, but he can do it!
"Please continue supporting us as we are going to have 3 months in hospital when we get home before we can go back to normal life for the first time ever. We are over the moon!
"Love Amy, Oguz, Dilly, Aiyla and Baby Leyla."
In a previous post on the fundraiser, Amy described her son as 'precious, kind and amazing' as she asked for help with donations. She said: "Dillan should not have to go through this, he is the most precious, kind, amazing little boy with the funniest character.
"I can’t bear(sic) the thought of losing him, we need as much help financially as we can get. PLEASE HELP SAVE HIM, together as a community we found him a match last year, now we need your help to find him a cure!"
The exact costs of the treatment has not been revealed, though clinical trials are one of the most expensive treatments in medical history.
To donate to Dillan's fundraiser, or to read more of the family's story, click here.
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