Is Ella worth an additional £70,000?

Of course the answer is yes and that is what her team and the NHS system think as well!

Today Ella started a new type of chemotherapy called Mepact 

This is an additional drug that will be given over and above her current planned schedule.  It will involve two one hour infusions a week for twelve weeks and then just once a week for another twenty four weeks - a total of 48 infusions over 36 weeks.

Mepact contains the active substance mifamurtide, similar to a component of the cell wall of certain bacteria. It stimulates your immune system to help your body kill tumour cells. Mepact is used to treat osteosarcoma (bone cancer) in children, adolescents and young adults. It is used after you have had surgery to remove the tumour and together with chemotherapy to kill remaining cancer cells to reduce the risk of cancer coming back.

Its  relatively new drug and there is evidence that it will make a positive difference to Ella's treatment outcome and her subsequent well being.  Funding had to be applied for and thankfully awarded - £70,000.

So frustrating that its yet more time in hospital - but only for short one hour sessions.  However, today was different, as it was then first one she has had to stay in and be monitored for eight hours to check for any adverse reactions to the Mepact. 

So the usual "Magic & Monster" dichotomy of the NHS = "Magic - providing the drug", "Monster - a three hour delay on arrival at the hospital today, waiting for the chemo to be made up, meaning pick up time tonight is 11.30/midnight, and yet more hanging around in hospital time doing nothing!"

We are however, truely grateful for Ella being given this new drug