Six-year-old Ivy Steel in a race against time to raise $400,000 for a shot at life

MORE than $118,000 has been raised to help save six-year-old Ivy Steel in only 24 hours, but the brave Victorian girl’s race against time has just started. See how you can help.

Ivy with her golden retriever, Billie. Picture: David Caird

MORE than $118,000 has been raised to help save six-year-old Ivy Steel in only 24 hours.

People have opened their hearts to offer Ivy Steel a second chance at life less than a day after her story was featured in Monday’s Herald Sun.

The Ivy’s Army Facebook page, run by friends and relatives of Ivy, described the outpouring of support as “beyond amazing.”
“The support shown over the last 24 hours is exactly what Ivy and her family need at the moment to help keep them focused on the positives.

“We will get you the treatment you need Ivy, stay strong sweetie xx.”

Delighted supporters also chimed in with words of support and encouragement.
“Hang in there, mama,” said Katie Bertram.

“You will get there. Ivy is a special girl and everyone loves her.”

But Ivy’s race against time has just started: she has until December to raise $400,000 for a shot at life.

Since she was just 2½, Ivy has battled leukaemia. But two weeks ago, her family learned she had relapsed once more.

No viable treatments remain for her in Australia — the prep student has tried them all.

Her one chance is an American clinical trial of an experimental treatment to reprogram her immune system so it can detect cancer cells.

But the desperate Hamilton family needs $400,000 to pay for it.

Ivy loves to play in the garden. Picture: David Caird

Mother Jenna Steel said the family was pleading with Victorians to help them save Ivy.

“She will die without treatment,” Ms Steel said.

“We have no other option, and there is a successful treatment available — just not here. We have to ask for help to save our child’s life.”

Ivy has a rare form of the most common childhood cancer, acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, called Philadelphia chromosome-positive ALL. Standard treatments usually don’t work.

Ivy has tried chemotherapy, and also a bone-marrow transplant from her brother Van, now 4.

Exactly a year after this transplant, tests from a lumbar puncture showed the cancer had returned a third time.

Ms Steel trusts the revolutionary CAR T-cell therapy will work.

It genetically engineers immune cells so they recognise the unique molecule of the surface of the cancer cell. The immune cells are then infused back into the patient, where they seek out the cancer cells.

An Adelaide woman, 21, who had had cancer for 14 years and received the treatment last year as part of an international clinical trial, is now cancer-free.

But that trial has finished. Its next phase is proposed at the Royal Children’s Hospital, but a starting date has not been confirmed.

The treatment is being offered in a trial at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where the technique was developed.

Ms Steel is calling on Victorians, and more than 9500 social media followers from around the world, to help get Ivy to the US.

“Ivy should not be denied the chance to fight this horrid cancer simply because of our lack of financial resources, poor timing and where we happen to live,” she said.

- Donations can be made to JL & CM Steel ATF Iverson. BSB: 083 663 Account: 945125101, or on Paypal via [e-mail], and select the ‘gifted friends and family’ option.

You can track the donation drive’s progress at Ivy’s Army Facebook page.