Strong chemotherapy can put a child at a great risk of infection as blood counts fall to dangerously low levels. Neulasta is a drug that is given after chemotherapy and helps to boost the production of white blood cells and therefore lowers the risk of a child catching an infection and being admitted to hospital. This drug is routinely used for adults receiving chemotherapy. However, it is not readily available for children as it is not profitable for pharmaceutical companies to distribute this to children given the small amounts of the drug needed.
Alice’s Arc provided funds to the family of Frank Cheek whilst he was on treatment to receive neulasta. Frank received the drug whilst he was receiving proton radiation and chemotherapy in Oklahoma, USA. Alice also received neulasta whilst she was receiving proton radiation and chemotherapy in Jacksonville, USA and she picked up far fewer infections.
