Hassocks child's cancer treatment fundraiser reaches £200,000

The fundraiser to get Teddy Lichten, from Hassocks, to the US for new “ground-breaking” cancer care has surpassed the £200,000 mark.

His mum Kat said she and her family are “so excited” by the news.

Little Teddy loves trains (Image: Kat Lichten)

“We were at the end of a rubbish week - we had gone on our first family holiday to Butlin's, only for Teddy to become ill on the second night and be rushed to hospital for the rest of the week,” said 34-year-old Kat.

“We were so disappointed that he had missed out on yet another experience that so many children get to have. I was sat in the hospital room with him while he slept when the email came in to say that the campaign had topped £200,000. I could have jumped for joy.”

Earlier this year, Kat and her husband Alistair launched their urgent appeal to help give their son the best chance of beating neuroblastoma, a rare type of cancer that mostly affects babies and young children.

• READ MORE: Burgess Hill nine-year-old walks Dyke Railway to raise funds for child with rare and aggressive cancer

Since then family, friends and complete strangers have worked tirelessly to raise funds for Teddy.

The treatment would be a cancer vaccine which “teaches the body to do the work of immunotherapy on its own” and is in the trial stage.

“It is only available at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre in New York,” said Kat.

“Immunotherapy is very effective for neuroblastoma, but it’s only active in the body when it’s being given, so you can give it and then 72 hours after you stop giving it, it’s completely out of the system.

“When we set out to raise up to £300,000 it seemed an impossible task, but I really believe we can do it now.”

Teddy on a Thameslink train (Image: Kat Lichten)

The family have until the end of the year to raise another £100,000 which they hope will allow them to access further treatment abroad in the hope of getting Teddy into remission or helping him stay there.

The Lichtens. From left baby Rupert, dad Alistair, Teddy and mum Kat (Image: Kat Lichten)

Teddy started his first day at school on Monday this week.

Kat said: “That was a lovely little moment that just felt like we were having one of those normal moments that normal families have and we don’t get so many of those because so much about our lives is completely abnormal.

“There’s so many experiences that he’s missed out on so for him to be able to start school was really special for us.”

Teddy has been having treatment at the Royal Sussex (Image: Kat Lichten)

After undergoing several gruelling rounds of chemotherapy and other treatments, he began six months of immunotherapy and is due to finish frontline treatment at the start of 2024.

You can support Teddy’s campaign by donating through his fundraising page or by texting ‘TEDDYL’ to 70085 followed by any whole amount up to £20.

The fundraiser is also online here at: solvingkidscancer.org.uk/children/teddylichten/