BEREA’s warriors, Ariella Cocorozis and Robbie Eddles are said to be making progress in their fight against cancer.
There was exciting news last month for little Ariella, who has a Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG) brain tumour.
“Ariella had a MRI scan at the request of a neurosurgeon last month and the following day her parents were given the good news that her tumour has shrunk by 45 per cent,” said Tassie Kougianos, the family spokesperson.
Tassie said Ariella has progressed in leaps and bounds and some of her recent milestones include being able to place her feet flat on the ground, which is great progress, she is chatty, can feed herself with a fork, is supporting herself better in a seated position and is attending Greek school and school lessons accompanied by her day nurse.
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“Clearly whatever is being done must continue. The immediate need is funding for the combination of medications that are working well for Ariella, which need to be paid in full by her parents as nothing is covered by medical aid,” she said.
Robbie, a Clifton College learner who has been diagnosed with leukaemia for the third time, has travelled to Israel for treatment called CAR-T Therapy.
He is currently at Mount Sheba Hospital in Tel Aviv and after a very thorough consultation, he and his mum, Col, are feeling very positive and relieved.
Robbie’s aunt, Kerry Moller, who has been hosting bone marrow donor drives throughout the country to find him a donor match, said Robbie and Col had met with the team of doctors, and the way forward had been carved out, which was exciting.
ALSO READ: Clifton College learner inspires others to join SA Bone Marrow Registry
She said Robbie was neutropenic and has no immunity so he was being isolated before his treatment. He had chemo twice a week up to the end of March, then on 1 April the T-cells, which are sick and leukaemic, were removed from his body and will be genetically engineered so they are non-leukaemic and can become fighter cells. They will then be put back into his body on 13 April. Robbie will then be hospitalised for two to four weeks depending on the side effects, and two to three months later he can have a transplant in Cape Town, however this is dependent on a donor match.
“This is quite a risky procedure, it’s a new procedure, which is why they have gone to Israel. There are horrible side effects such as seizures and slowness of speech, but we’re pretty sure Robs is strong and up to it. We’re all a little bit nervous, but this should buy him two to three months, and in this time we have got to find him a bone marrow donor, it’s a no brainer, this is simply a stalling process, but Robs is amazing, very upbeat and very chirpy. He WhatsApps us and sends us jokes, he’s truly an incredible boy,” she said.
Kerry said the Clifton community had been amazing and had played various interschool sports last month wearing orange socks (orange is the colour for leukaemia awareness), which made the family very tearful and which was a real tribute to Robbie.
“We still have bone marrow drives happening all over South Africa and have raised over R300 000 for SABMR, so we are steaming ahead. I will not stop until I find him a bone marrow match,” she said.
Fundraising for Ariella and Robbie
A FUNDRAISER is being planned to raise money for Ariella and Robbie’s treatment on Friday, 3 May at the Hellenic Hall in Durban North.
There will be a buffet meal, DJ music, photo booth, and either a fashion show or auction, raffles and spot prizes.
Price of tickets is R250 per person or R2 500 per table.
To book, contact Lauren: lauren@getkitted.co.za.
To help with continuing fundraising for Ariella, visit the Facebook page: For the love of Ariella. To donate on the BackaBuddy page, visit: https://www.backabuddy.co.za/champion/project/ariella-help-us-beat-dipg.
To become a donor or to help raise funds for the SABMR visit: www.sabmr.co.za, or www.robbieeddles.co.za.
Contact Kerry Moller on 082 579 0055.
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