Kelli Anne

Kelli Anne's story

The beginning of 2009 was a very special start for new mum, Joely as she welcomed her first baby girl, Kelli Anne, into the world.

A much longed-for daughter, Joely fell instantly in love with her new arrival. Just weeks after giving birth, Joely became worried when Kelli Anne wouldn’t stop crying despite all attempts being made to calm her down. After numerous tests, Joely’s concerns were confirmed. Doctors told her that her beautiful baby girl had cancer. Kelli Anne was just 3 months old.

“It was completely devastating. We didn’t know what to do,” says Joely.

While dealing with the shock, more difficult news came. Kelli Anne’s cancer was diagnosed as neuroblastoma, a particularly aggressive childhood cancer.

Treatment

Kelli Anne began treatment with chemotherapy immediately and after a year, scans revealed she had 'no evidence of disease'. Kelli Anne’s gruelling treatment regime, including chemotherapy, had been a success. The neuroblastoma had gone. However, Tom and Joely, were told it was very likely to reappear.

For Kelli Anne and her family, life slowly continued, away from hospital and the harsh treatment. Although aware that a diagnosis of high-risk neuroblastoma brings with it an increased rate of relapse, Tom and Joely remained cautiously optimistic.

Tom and Joely were devastated in 2012 when routine scans revealed that their happy, fun-loving three-year-old had relapsed. Neuroblastoma had returned. 

In an even more cruel twist of events, Tom himself was diagnosed with an inoperable cancerous brain tumour. The family learned that his condition was terminal at the same time as their daughter was recovering from treatment for relapsed neuroblastoma.

Tom, despite knowing he was dying, vowed to raise enough funds to leave behind a lasting legacy for precious Kelli. These funds would be restricted for Kelli Anne to use should she ever require further treatment for neuroblastoma in the future. Tom and Kelli Anne’s story went national and funds came flooding in to support the family in their quest. By early 2015, over £500,000 had been raised.

Kelli Anne's much-wished-for baby brother, Fletcher, was born in 2015 just four months before Tom sadly passed away in September 2015. 

Post-treatment

On 11 August 2022, Kelli Anne reached the enormous milestone of being 10 years NED (no evidence of disease)!

Kelli Anne is currently studying for her GCSEs and aspires to go to medical school, where she hopes to become a Paediatric Oncologist.

Kelli Anne’s diagnoses of Chronic Pain/Chronic Fatigue syndrome means that she struggles daily. The pain specialists at Bath Centre for Pain believe that Kelli Anne’s pain system is switched on as a direct result of her cancer and chemotherapy, which is something she is likely to struggle with for the rest of her life. The struggles and medical problems Kelli Anne experiences have made school difficult, and she’s had to do a lot of work from home.  

Kelli Anne is continuing to enjoy figure skating, which she has been doing since she was eight years old. She also loves being a big sister to her brother, Fletcher, who she adores, as well as a foster sister to the children the family foster.

<sub>Solving Kids' Cancer UK's children's fundraising campaigns 

Funds raised through a child's fundraising campaign for access to treatment are spent on their treatment and pastoral needs. Any remaining funds, and all funds raised after five years post the end of the child's treatment, are used to support other children and families through Solving Kids' Cancer UK's activities.</sub>