MSL Supporting Ride4Ava Charity Cycle

MSL provided a support vehicle for the Ride4AVA charity cycle from John O'Groats to Land’s End, held from 29th August to 6th September 2014, raising money for Ava, a very brave two-year-old fighting a rare form of liver cancer called hepatoblastoma.

The funds raised from the cycle challenge went to support Children with Cancer and Alder Hey.

Hepatoblastoma is an uncommon malignant liver tumour that occurs in infants and children. It is made up of tissue resembling fetal liver cells, mature liver cells, or bile duct cells, and usually presents as an abdominal mass.

The disease is most commonly diagnosed during a child’s first three years of life. Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels are often elevated, but when AFP is not elevated at diagnosis, the prognosis is poorer. Approximately eight children are diagnosed with hepatoblastoma each year in the United Kingdom.

Since being diagnosed with hepatoblastoma, Ava has undergone extensive treatment. This has included having a central line fitted, a liver biopsy, 14 rounds of intensive chemotherapy, and four MRI and CT scans under general anaesthetic. She has also had audiology tests, heart scans, kidney testing, eight blood transfusions, ten platelet transfusions, and 33 growth factor injections to boost her neutrophils, along with many other procedures. In addition, she is currently receiving nutritional support through a nasogastric (NG) tube.

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