Flora's new campaign

Flora is an energetic, outdoor-loving five-year-old from East Lothian, Scotland. Her family are continuing to fundraise after Flora sadly relapsed in September 2023 and her total now reflects the new campaign fund total.

Fundraising total£178,718.99
Target £189,000.00

Flora loves playing at the beach, splashing in the sea, playing at the park, and building puzzles. She is a huge Peppa Pig fan and enjoys playing Peppa games on her tablet.

In January 2021, after several hospital appointments, Flora was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. In the months that followed, Flora wasn't herself and her parents were given the devastating news that at just two years old she had high-risk neuroblastoma, an aggressive childhood cancer that has a 40-50% chance of long-term survival at diagnosis.

Flora’s family appealed for help to raise £252,000 so Flora could enrol on the bivalent vaccine clinical trial in New York after frontline treatment, with the aim of keeping the cancer away. Her end of treatment scans in August 2022 showed Flora had no evidence of active disease, which meant she was eligible for the trial, and thanks to the campaign’s incredible community of support, she started the trial in September 2022.

Sadly, scans in September 2023 showed that Flora’s cancer had returned. Treating relapsed neuroblastoma successfully is particularly challenging and treatment options available on the NHS are limited. .

Flora's incredible supporters raised £305,000 during her previous fundraising campaign, of which £147,000 remained as the total available funds which will go towards any further treatment that Flora may need which is outside of the NHS. 

After receiving relapse treatment in the UK which has got Flora back into remission, her family are asking for your support to fundraise £189,000 so she can enrol on the bivalent vaccine clinical trial.

Follow Flora's story on social media.

Donate to Flora's campaign

High-risk neuroblastoma is an aggressive cancer with high rates of relapse. At relapse, the chance of survival is extremely low. A donation from you could help Flora access a potentially life-saving clinical trial in America.

Donate now

Flora’s story 

Flora had several hospital visits and investigations into her health and development prior to her neuroblastoma diagnosis and in January 2021, she was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. In the months that followed this diagnosis, her parents, Jamie and Stephanie noticed that Flora wasn’t quite herself. She was irritable, waking in the night and had an upset tummy and swollen lymph nodes. They took her to the GP three times over the course of the month only to be told she had a viral infection. 

By the end of March, Flora had deteriorated further and was admitted to hospital. She was pale, lethargic and had bruising around her eyes. Blood tests showed that Flora was anaemic and further tests were carried out. It was an agonising wait for Flora's parents. 

At the beginning of April, after finding a large tumour next to one of her kidneys and cancer in her skull, behind her eyes and in her bone marrow, Flora was diagnosed with stage 4 high-risk neuroblastoma. 

To say that Flora has been dealt a difficult start in life is an understatement. Despite the challenges she faces and the trauma she has been through over the past 9 months, she is the happiest and most affectionate little girl! There are days you would have no idea she's even battling a life-threatening illness. But there are also days where Flora is incredibly ill and as parents, it is frightening and heart breaking to witness.

Flora’s parents, Jamie and Stephanie

Frontline Treatment 

Flora underwent 18 months of frontline treatment, including multiple rounds of chemotherapy, a seven-hour surgery to remove her tumour, five weeks of high-dose chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant in isolation, radiotherapy and immunotherapy. This was alongside countless scans and tests, general anaesthetics, and blood transfusions that go hand in hand with receiving cancer treatment.  

The side effects of treatment are tough, but Flora’s cheeky personality still shines through despite the pain and discomfort she endures. Even on the darkest and hardest of days, Flora lights up the room with her infectious smile. Flora was the cheekiest child on the ward and enjoyed running around the corridors and making lots of noise!  

Flora completed her frontline treatment for neuroblastoma in August 2022 and her end-of-treatment scans showed no evidence of active disease, which meant she was eligible for the bivalent vaccine clinical trial.  

"She brings so much happiness and love to our family and we are so blessed to have this special girl in our lives."

Flora’s dad, Jamie

Vaccine trial and relapse

Funds raised through Flora’s campaign enabled her to go on to enrol on the clinical trial in New York in September 2022 with the aim of keeping the cancer away for good.

Flora and her family travelled to New York three times and Flora received six vaccines as part of the trial. Devastatingly, during routine scans required for the trial in September 2023, it was identified that Flora had relapsed meaning she was unable to continue with the trial.

Since then, Flora has restarted NHS treatment and undergone two cycles of a chemotherapy and immunotherapy combination.

“Like with all of her previous treatment, she’s had to deal with side effects like lowered blood counts, pain, nausea, tummy upset, changes in her mood and trouble sleeping. She’s had to adjust to regular trips to hospital again with unwanted pokes and prods, unpredictability, isolation and missing out on all of the fun things we had just started being able to enjoy again."

Flora’s parents, Jamie and Steph

Download fundraising materials

Flora's campaign poster

Flora's campaign poster, 345.2 KB

Flora's event poster

Flora's event poster, 177.4 KB

Flora's sponsorship form

Flora's sponsorship form, 235.0 KB

Order fundraising resources 

Order your collection tins and buckets and charity wristbands to support your fundraising.

Solving Kids' Cancer UK's children's fundraising campaigns 

Funds raised will go towards helping Flora and her family. If Flora no longer needs the funds or is in remission five years post the end of successful treatment, the funds will be used to support other children and families affected by neuroblastoma through our activities. For children with high-risk neuroblastoma, like Flora, the survival rate is much lower than other childhood cancers. Upon relapse, this rate reduces even further.

Donations and comments

Manual adjustment from Solving Kids' Cancer UK£3,548.58

Donated on: 10th July 2024

Anonymous£2,662.22

Donated on: 27th June 2024

Manual update for offline income by SKC

Robert McGreavey£115.00

Donated on: 20th June 2024

Craig Millar£120.00

Donated on: 13th June 2024

Robert McGreavey£200.00

Donated on: 12th June 2024

Rebecca Partington£100.00

Donated on: 24th May 2024

Sorry it’s late, there a little bit more to follow. Love from Rebecca and Violet xxx

Brian Johnson£266.19

Donated on: 16th May 2024

Hi, from the team at The Hibernian match programme.

Stephen Young£25.00

Donated on: 16th May 2024

Good luck my wee pal from a Hibby.

Gemma Wadsley£2.00

Donated on: 15th May 2024

.

Ishani McGregor£5.00

Donated on: 13th May 2024

John Humphries£200.00

Donated on: 11th May 2024

Anonymous donations£5.00

Donated on: 11th May 2024

Neil Campbell£100.00

Donated on: 11th May 2024

My Grandson Nairn, did bake sale so wanted to add extra donation to campaign

Gillian Robertson£200.00

Donated on: 11th May 2024

Pamper Hamper

Laura Purves£20.00

Donated on: 11th May 2024

Sending our love Flora, Luci

Alex Cosgrove£120.00

Donated on: 25th April 2024

£120 cash from my 60th birthday party!

David Smith£20.00

Donated on: 25th April 2024

BIRTHDAY DONATION on behalf of Alex Cosgrove

Brandon Cross£20.00

Donated on: 25th April 2024

Damian Magill£100.00

Donated on: 25th April 2024

On behalf of Alex Cosgrove at his request I make this donation rather than gift him something for his 60th birthday. Wishing Flora hope, happiness, and many more childhood memories.

Simon Bowdidge£50.00

Donated on: 25th April 2024

Alex Cosgrove Happy 60th Birthday

Manual adjustment - Solving Kids' Cancer UK£12,178.60

Donated on: 25th April 2024

Manual adjustment from Solving Kids' Cancer UK£971.90

Donated on: 10th April 2024

Manual adjustment from Solving Kids' Cancer UK£291.00

Donated on: 19th March 2024

Manual adjustment from Solving Kids' Cancer UK£1,318.00

Donated on: 19th February 2024

Manual adjustment from Solving Kids' Cancer UK£5,119.00

Donated on: 22nd January 2024

Manual adjustment from Solving Kids' Cancer UK£3,901.50

Donated on: 20th December 2023

Anonymous

Donated on: 6th December 2023

Fi Barber£10.20

Donated on: 2nd May 2023

Love Skye xx

Anonymous£5.00

Donated on: 2nd May 2023

Jan Cameron£20.00

Donated on: 2nd May 2023