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A family from Wales is preparing to take their three-year-old son, Teddy Sloman, to the United States for a clinical vaccine trial, offering them a renewed sense of hope after a difficult year battling a rare childhood cancer. Teddy was diagnosed with high-risk neuroblastoma, an aggressive form of the disease, almost a year ago. Initially, doctors warned that Teddy might not survive the necessary surgery, but recent scans have shown no active signs of cancer. His mother, Sarah Sloman, describes the upcoming treatment in New York as potentially “the final chapter” in what has been a harrowing experience for their family.
The journey began when Teddy showed symptoms that were initially mistaken for common childhood issues such as teething and constipation. Over time, his condition worsened: he stopped eating and drinking, slept excessively, and began vomiting. After Sarah felt a lump in his abdomen, a hospital visit led to the discovery of a large tumour occupying his entire abdomen, which had also spread to his bone marrow. Sarah, who is a pediatric nurse, found the diagnosis surreal, reflecting on her professional experience and the shock of confronting such a reality in her personal life.
Teddy’s treatment involved extended stays at Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital for Wales and trips to specialist centers in Birmingham and London. Despite the aggressive nature of his cancer, recent scans appear promising, showing no active disease. However, the maintenance drug difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), which could help prevent Teddy’s cancer from returning, was withdrawn from the NHS, forcing the family to seek private treatment overseas. To participate in the vaccine trial in New York, Teddy had to meet strict medical criteria, including urine tests
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