A HUNDRED and one dogs and their owners will wear Christmas-themed outfits on a walk through the grounds of Blenheim Palace to raise money for an eight-year-old's cancer treatment.
Anna Drysdale, who last year helped launch the Oxford Mail's OX5 Run, has been approved for specialist therapy in New York to reduce the risk of the disease returning for a third time.
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Her family are now trying to raise the £460,000 needed to fund the cross-Atlantic trip and treatment.
Anna with Murphy
Mum Keeley Drysdale said the five-mile Christmas dog walk was inspired by her daughter's love of 101 dalmatians and the family would be taking part next Saturday with their cavapoo Murphy.
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After falling from the sofa almost three years ago the Chipping Norton schoolgirl complained of a strange feeling in her arm, which after several tests, turned out to be a tumour across her whole upper arm.
Despite having surgery to remove the tumour at Oxford Children's Hospital and months of follow up treatment last November it was discovered the little girl had another tumour, this time in the soft tissue in her shoulder.
She underwent more surgery the week before Christmas to remove the tumour then started five more intensive rounds of chemotherapy and six weeks of daily radiotherapy in London.
Although she is in remission for a second time parents Ian and Keeley said her chances of the cancer coming back were 'extremely high'.
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A post by the Drysdale family on the 'Team Anna' Justgiving page, which has so far raised around £34,500, said: “For a few months last year, Anna had a brief spell in remission in which time she grew stronger and became more mobile, even managing to walk to school some days as she’s always determined to spend as much time as possible with her beloved friends.
"She kept saying how she loved feeling 'normal' again. We attempted to get our lives back on track and regain some happy home life and stability for Anna and her sisters Sarah and Ellen, but unfortunately this didn’t last long. "
Her parents added: "Telling her this news was heartbreaking. She was so scared at the thought of going through it all again, and of losing her beautiful new hair."
The couple praised NHS staff who helped Anna during her treatment and surgeries, included 'gruelling' months at the Oxford Children's Hospital and radiotherapy in London.
They said: "The NHS has helped us enormously since Anna’s diagnosis and we are truly grateful to each and every person who has helped us and cared for her but we have to be realistic and recognise that treatment options here are very limited. "
Her parents explained they researched all options and treatments worldwide and Anna had been matched to a new targeted therapy treatment for the prevention of recurrence of Osteosarcoma at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, and had since been approved for treatment.
There are still a few places left to get up to the magic 101, with the deadline to register part on Tuesday.
For more information visit goteamanna.org.
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