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New treatment offers hope for little Eva

March 31st, 2016 11:55 AM

By Jackie Keogh

Eva with her mother Luiza.

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An experimental treatment in the UK may offer new hope for a three-year-old girl who is fighting for her life.

AN experimental treatment in the UK may offer new hope for a three-year-old girl who is fighting for her life.

Eva Aniulyte, who lives with her parents Luiza and Mantas and her eight-year old brother Eric in Skibbereen, has been fighting terminal cancer for the last four months.

On Friday, March 18th she completed her second radiotherapy treatment in Dublin for a rare tumour called Intrinsic Pontine Giloma or DIPG.

The survival rate for DIPG is nil. However, new experimental treatments are being considered, including a treatment by Professor Steven Gill in Bristol, which would involve infusing drugs directly to the tumour via catheters.

The cost of the UK treatment is €70,000 but with a willing team of fundraisers in the locality they are hoping to reach that target as soon as possible. There are plenty of ways that people can donate. There is a collection box in the Alma clothes shop in Bridge Street, as well as at Lena’s Tailoring Service in Ilen Street, Skibbereen.

Alternatively, people can donate by bank transfer made payable to: Luiza AniulienÄ—, Bank of Ireland, Ballinasloe, County Galway. The BIC is BOFIIE2D and the IBAN is IE86BOFI90368072656906.

Online there is a Go Fund Me campaign. See https://www.gofundme.com/evas-hope. And there is also a PayPal option: [email protected].

In Lithuania, newspapers are also carrying reports about Eva’s struggle to survive and some money has been donated to a separate account there.

So far, the sum of €20,000 has been raised, but a big push will be needed to make up the balance of €50,000.

Professor Steven Gill and his research team at the University of Bristol has successfully completed a number of studies, which have led directly to clinical trials. 

Their unique CED (catheter technology treatment) is currently being used to treat patients with a range of neurological disorders, including adults and children with malignant brain tumours, and Parkinson’s disease. 

Eva is currently awaiting approval to become part of the trial and now that her second round of radiotherapy is finished her parents are hoping to have the funds in place so they will be able to respond as soon as they get the word from the UK clinic.

To find out more you can connect with Luiza and Mantas on their Facebook page Eva’s Hope. The page keeps people informed of Eva’s progress and the amount still needed for this treatment – a treatment that they hope will be life saving.

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