Girl, 11, who survived cancer, says she now wants to become a doctor to help children like her 

Pippa Vickers was five years old when she was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

She survived, and now that she is 11 years old, she plans to become a doctor to help children like her.

It took her years to recover, years filled with rounds of chemotherapy and emergency runs to the hospital every time she had a fever.

But with the support of her loving family, Pippa has regained her full strength and is focusing on her dream of becoming a doctor to help continue the work of Cancer Research.

This week the Mail launched a major campaign with Cancer Research UK to raise money for children and young people with cancer.

And then Labor Party health spokesman Wes Streeting endorses the Fighting to Beat Children’s Cancer appeal.

Pippa’s mother, Laura, 38, from Guildford, Surrey, said that in the months before her daughter’s diagnosis, the family had been sent from column to column trying to find out what was wrong with her as her symptoms worsened and she he was struggling to walk or even sit up. up.

She added: “Before Pippa had the diagnosis, you read about it or see it on TV and think, ‘That’s really sad, that poor girl.'” And you never think it will be you.

Pippa was sent to intensive chemotherapy at the Royal Marsden Hospital, while her mother and father, Thomas, juggled her care with caring for her younger twin sisters.

Her hair fell out, but her mother and sisters also cut it back so she would feel less alone.

There was a period when the family lived in constant fear, recalls Ms Vickers: “I remember there was a holiday at Center Parcs in Luton when Pippa’s temperature rose. We had to take an ambulance straight back to our local hospital .’

But after a few setbacks, Pippa is in remission and is at school and playing hockey with her friends.

Her mother said: ‘He pushed her to want to be a doctor. Being a doctor would allow him to find more treatments. She wished there was a treatment that didn’t mean you’d lose your hair.’

Ms Vickers added that without Cancer Research, she doesn’t know if Pippa would be where she is today.

“You give money, you donate, but you don’t realize what a difference it makes to people like me,” he explained. “Pippa’s treatment was in a trial and that was only possible because someone donated money to the trial a few years ago.”

The Mail is asking generous readers to give what they can to help turn around cancer, the leading cause of death from disease among young people.

WES STREETING: I’m proud to support the Daily Mail UK Cancer Research campaign after the wonderful NHS surgeons and nurses helped me beat cancer and I never had to worry about the bill.

BY WES STREETING SHADOW SECRETARY OF HEALTH for THE DAILY MAIL

Last year I was diagnosed with kidney cancer at the age of 38. Nothing prepares you for that, but strange as it sounds, I consider myself incredibly lucky.

The cancer had been detected early by chance: he had gone to the emergency room with kidney stones, whose scans detected cancer.

Living in Britain meant that I had the good fortune to be treated by wonderful NHS surgeons and nurses, and never had to worry about the bill.

It’s another case that haunts me: that of my eight-year-old constituent, Kaleigh Lau, who died of a rare and aggressive childhood brain cancer, diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, or DIPG.

Watching her wonderful parents, Scott and Yang, raise money for treatment while also supporting their daughter and son broke my heart.

Speaking at Kaleigh’s funeral, in front of her family, her teachers, and her young friends from school, shattered him, and yet I still can’t begin to comprehend the loss my friends have experienced.

This is personal and that is why I give my full support to the Daily Mail campaign. There are so many children, like Kaleigh, whose future is stolen by the cruelty of cancer.

You can help them. Remarkable advances have been made in the last 30 years that have saved the lives of thousands of young cancer patients, but the recent increase in cases is very concerning.

We need to give our world-leading scientists the resources they need to get to the bottom of this, which is why the Daily Mail campaign is so welcome.

I know times are tough, but this is a worthy destination for any extra cash you can manage this Christmas. Britain’s brilliant life sciences sector is key to better care, better chances of survival and early detection of cancer.

The clinical trials we can run in the NHS are vital to finding new medicines with fewer long-term side effects that can ruin the lives of young survivors.

They give families access to innovative treatments and can help us understand the disease and better tailor treatment so it has the best possible chance of working the first time.

In my role as Shadow Health Secretary, I meet with our scientists and researchers as often as I speak with doctors and nurses.

Britain should lead the revolution in medical science and technology, building on the incredible work Cancer Research UK has funded to make the NHS fit for the future.

I am determined to take advantage of this opportunity, and your contributions can help. Despite all the good work of our scientists and the tremendous efforts of NHS staff, the truth is that cancer patients are waiting longer than ever for appointments, examinations and treatment.

I have seen the consequences of shortages on our NHS. It just doesn’t have enough doctors and nurses, and patients are paying the price.

We owe it to all cancer patients, especially children, to correct that. I know that politicians should also put our money where our mouth is.

Labour’s fully funded plan to double the number of trained doctors and 10,000 more nurses and midwives every year can ensure cancer patients get the care they need when they need it. Cancer remains the biggest cause of death among children.

This has to be a national priority. I am proud to join the Daily Mail’s fight to beat childhood cancer, and I hope you will too.

You can donate online to the appeal here: www.cruk.org/dailymailappeal.