Bottle drive scheduled for February 3rd
Efforts continue to beat seven-month-old Bennett Crews’ leukemia after enduring several rounds of chemotherapy at Vancouver’s BC Children’s Hospital since September.
Bennett’s mother, Ashley Wager-Crew, said Bennett is currently undergoing his third round of chemotherapy to get his cancer under control, and the family is receiving an immunotherapy called CAR T-cell therapy as part of the trial. They are waiting for it to start.
CAR T cell therapy is a type of cancer immunotherapy treatment that uses immune cells called T cells that are genetically modified in the laboratory to more effectively find and destroy cancer cells.
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“Mr. Bennett is having a hard time getting into remission,” Wagercrew said.
“We are hopeful that with CAR T-cell therapy he will go into remission and move on to a bone marrow transplant soon. We initially thought he would be able to return home by March, but we are now thinking June. , which it will be if everything goes according to plan.”
In September, Bennett’s family, including her father Gilbert and sister Madeline, took her to Cowichan District Hospital for tests after she hadn’t eaten for several days and was vomiting intermittently. Ta.
The family thought it was just a virus, but tests revealed that Bennett had acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a type of cancer of the blood and bone marrow (the spongy tissue inside bones where blood cells are made). It has been found.
The progressive disease progresses rapidly and produces immature rather than mature blood cells.
Bennett has since been receiving treatment at BC Children’s Hospital, and her parents have been staying at the Ronald McDonald House near the hospital since the fall, putting their lives on hold.
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Wagercrew said Bennett is expected to receive an infusion of T cells by mid-January and, if he goes into remission, hopes to be able to undergo a bone marrow transplant by mid-February.
“Our hearts are heavy as Mr. Bennett’s battle with cancer continues to be extremely difficult,” she said.
“We are really grateful for today’s medicine, because previously, Bennett’s prognosis was not very good because his cancer was so difficult to fight. I have great confidence in the medical team at BC Children’s Hospital and know they are doing everything they can to eliminate Bennett’s cancer and ensure it does not come back.”
After Bennett’s initial diagnosis, a GoFundMe page was set up to help the family cover the expenses and financial loss of losing work while in the hospital, raising about $30,000.
But it’s expected to be at least six months before Bennett can be brought home, and a bottle drive called “Bottles for Bennett” will be held on February 3 at the Bottle Depository, 6476 Norcross Rd. It is scheduled to be done. to raise more funds.
“I would like to thank everyone in the community for helping us get through this difficult time,” Wagercrew said.
“We have been amazed at how great people are.”
