Tasmanian family of Eleanor Oakley, 3, grateful for help in crowd-funding campaign for lifesaving cancer treatment

The Tasmanian parents of three-year-old Eleanor Oakley, who is battling stage 4 neuroblastoma, have been overwhelmed by people’s generosity in a crowd-funding campaign for lifesaving cancer treatment for their daughter.

Eleanor Oakley, 3, with her brother George, 4 months, and parents Jacqui and Rob. Picture: JAKE NOWAKOWSKI

A HOBART family has been overwhelmed by people’s generosity in a crowd-funding campaign for lifesaving cancer treatment for their daughter in the United States.

Three-year-old Eleanor Oakley is battling stage 4 neuroblastoma — an aggressive form of childhood cancer.

She was first diagnosed in January last year and after a range of treatments had received clear scans in April this year.

Eleanor Oakley. Picture: JAKE NOWAKOWSKI

Last month, a new tumour was discovered in Eleanor’s right frontal lobe on her brain and she has now been diagnosed with a central nervous system neuroblastoma relapse and treatment has continued.

After she finishes her current course of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, the family hopes Eleanor’s condition will be stable enough for her to travel to the US for a clinical drug trial of 8H9 antibody that attacks neuroblastoma cells in the central nervous system.

This treatment is not available in Australia and the family says its only alternative is to stay in Australia and prolong Eleanor’s life with palliative care.

Eleanor Oakley. Picture: JAKE NOWAKOWSKI

Since a fundraising campaign was launched last week, more than $220,000 has been donated towards a $300,000 target to pay for the treatment.

“We are so overwhelmed by it and grateful at the same time. We’ve been at the lowest of lows but this has really lifted our spirits,’’ Eleanor’s mother Jacqui Oakley said.

Mrs Oakley said the treatment is considered the best chance to cure their daughter and enable her to live a full and happy life.

“She’s got so much to give the world and we won’t stop fighting for her,’’ she said.

“The first thing for us is to get through this and get her cured, but we will be dedicating some of our time in the future to make some noise about getting these treatments to Australia.”

The Oakleys, of Montagu Bay, relocated to Melbourne in January last year so Eleanor could be treated at the Royal Children’s Hospital.

Rob Oakley, a firefighter, and Mrs Oakley, a teacher, have been there ever since, save for a short time back in Hobart during which time Eleanor’s brother was born, now four-month-old George.

Mrs Oakley said every day was tough for Eleanor at the moment, but the support of family, friends, local businesses and community fundraisers had been heartwarming.

They have also been assisted with accommodation costs through the Tasmanian Government’s Patient Travel Assistance Scheme.

Visit www.eleanorsfight.com.au for more information and to donate.