Oliver Stephenson gets 'all-clear' for US cancer treatment

A five-year-old boy is preparing to travel to New York after he was given the "all-clear" to take part in a specialist cancer treatment there.

Oliver Stephenson, from West Yorkshire, was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a rare cancer, in January 2020.

He has since undergone a number of treatments and his parents have now been told he is fit to go to the US.

Mum Laura said it was "incredible" Oliver could take part in the clinical trial of a vaccine called Bivalent.

About £300,000 has been collected through fundraising to pay for Oliver's treatment, which will take place over the course of a year.

It is hoped the clinical trial, which is only available in the United States, will stop the aggressive cancer returning and prevent a relapse.

Mrs Stephenson, from Ackworth, said: "Oliver completed all his treatment in February and then he had two weeks' worth of tests and scans, checking every inch of his body.

"Thankfully we found out on Friday that everything has come back normal, which is just incredible.

"Oliver's particular type of neuroblastoma is considered high risk, which means it's got a very high relapse rate, so the trial is designed to prevent that."

She said the £300,000 raised via donations was "more than enough for what we need".

Oliver's father, James, said they were all "so relieved" and the family was now obtaining visas to head to the treatment facility at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

Both father and son were separated from their family for seven weeks while Oliver received high-dose chemotherapy and stem cell treatment for the neuroblastoma at Leeds General Infirmary during the coronavirus lockdown last year.

The pair were shielding and had to share a room "about 4.5m (15ft) square" - and neither mum nor little brother Alfie were allowed to visit.

"We're doing absolutely everything we can to make sure he stays fit and well," said Mrs Stephenson.

"He feels like any other five-year-old little boy should feel. He's playing, he's happy and excited for summer. He can't wait for the Easter bunny to come.

"He's absolutely clueless about what it means to be [a cancer patient] - that means nothing to him. He's just happy he can run around with his brother and go to school."

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