Family of Hastings boy, 7, hit fundraising target for his leukaemia treatment

The family of a seven-year-old cancer sufferer from Hastings have raised the required funds to pay for pioneering treatment for him.
Denny Nassy. Picture from Team Denny/Facebook SUS-200604-100035001Denny Nassy. Picture from Team Denny/Facebook SUS-200604-100035001
Denny Nassy. Picture from Team Denny/Facebook SUS-200604-100035001

Denny Nassy’s family set up an online fundraising campaign last year, with a target of £500,000.

The target was reached at the weekend, thanks to generous donations from the public and a Hastings company, which in March stepped in to donate £150,000 towards the campaign.

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Denny was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) in January 2016, was treated with chemotherapy and went into remission but relapsed in 2018, the same week as his younger sister Marley was diagnosed with leukaemia too.

Both have undergone chemotherapy and Denny has since had a bone marrow transplant but the leukaemia has returned. Marley is currently in remission.

The Nassy family set up the campaign so Denny could go to the USA for the treatment he needs, called CAR-T therapy.

But in April the family’s plans were crushed by the coronavirus pandemic.

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An online petition was then set up on Change.org by Amy Collins, a family friend, to persuade the NHS to approve the specialist treatment in the UK.

The NHS has recently decided to run a trial of the treatment Denny needs in the UK in July for just five people. Denny is hoping to be selected.

There are no curative treatments currently available for the condition on the NHS so Denny’s only chance is either the join the new trial or to go for CAR-T therapy in the USA, a course of action recommended by his care team.

Denny’s aunt, Michele Laurens, said: “We’re all overwhelmed with all the support Denny has received from everyone.

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“Last September we had little hope and there seemed no way out for Denny.

“In a desperate attempt I went to social media for help, put a post up explaining his situation and how I was setting a giving page up for him.

“Within hours the post had gone viral and I was inundated with requests for his giving page details.

“I set up a group called Denny and Marley and within days it had thousands of members and everyone was discussing fundraising events and ideas.

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“In just nine months people have managed to get Denny all the money needed for his treatment.

“We felt in September like we were in a spider web, trapped with no way out, suffocating and now with the support of so many thousands of people Denny has options.

“At present Denny’s not fit to travel as he is very sickly and his consultant does not think he will survive the flight.

“There is a treatment trial coming to the UK in July for just five people. It looks likely Denny has a place on this but we’re not putting our hopes up just yet.

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“If it does fall through then we have £500,000 sitting with the Tree of Hope children’s charity ready for his treatment. They’ve agreed to put the money Denny has in his bank account with the money they have collected through his giving page without taking any commission from it, which is wonderful news.

“It is an amazing charity and was founded by a lady from Hastings many years ago.

“If it turns out Denny doesn’t need the money they will store it for him and Marley till they are 25 in case either have any more relapses.

“If they never need the money then we’ve requested the Tree of Hope uses it for other children in desperate need.

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“Either way Denny will be getting his treatment, he now just needs to concentrate on growing strong ready for this next phase of treatment.

“He’s currently in hospital fighting another infection, but this is part and parcel of his life now. We’re solely concentrating on keeping his spirits up now.

“He’s so tired of fighting, his little body is so thin and weak. He just keeps begging to go to Butlins, he’s craving for normality, desperate to get back to normal living now. He just needs to hold on for a bit longer.”

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