Zac getting stronger and is missing Broseley home
Zac Oliver is getting stronger and battling through according to his mum, who has given an update on the youngster's progress in his treatment for a rare form of cancer.
Four-year-old Zac is currently in Philadelphia with his mum Hannah Oliver-Willets and father Mark Garbett, while he undergoes pioneering treatment for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia.
The Broseley youngster is on the latest stage of his revolutionary treatment, where immune cells have been taken from his own body, modified to fight cancer, and reinfused.
The treatment, which was unavailable on the NHS, is being carried out at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and is only possible after an incredible fundraising campaign saw the country unite behind Zac's cause and donate £500,000 to pay for it.
People across Shropshire held events, collected sponsorship, donated pocket money, and took part in a Wear Red for Zac day to push towards the total.
The fund also received a donation from X Factor creator Simon Cowell before a mystery donor pledged £100,000 to reach the target.
In an update from Hannah which was posted on Zac's Facebook page, she says: "Every day Zac is getting stronger."
Zac and his family will find out in the coming weeks if the therapy has been successful, with scores of supporters and wellwishers across the county, and the country, with fingers crossed.
In her update Hannah said that Zac wants to come home.
The post said: "He had a heavy dose of chemotherapy prior to the Car T cells being infused.
"This knocked him about a little.
"The T cells have been in a few weeks now; there are some side effects, but these have been dealt with along the way.
"His immune system has been compromised, but he is battling through.
"He is a little tired, and quite fed up now. He wants to come home.
"There are a couple of weeks to go yet, if all goes well.
"This time is very scary, but he is getting stronger every day."
Wait for results
She said the results on whether the cells are working will not be available for a while and said it was a nervous time;
Earlier this month Hannah explained how they had been filling their time in America before the beginning of the latest round of Zac's treatment.
She explained how they had visited an aquarium where he had been able to stroke sharks, but said he had still been asking if he could go back to his friends and family in Broseley.
The gruelling process of his treatment has been hugely difficult for the youngster and his family but Hannah has also revealed the encouragement of seeing other people who have survived after having the same treatment as her son.
During one of their visits to the hospital she came across a couple, who had first hand experience of how the therapy can work.
She said: "Mabel told me John had CAR T-cell therapy on November 23 after being given a 30 per cent chance of survival with traditional therapies. His scans have come back clear of cancer.
"I tried not to cry, but I couldn't help it. I was sitting with someone who was riddled with cancer a few months ago and is now cancer free because of the therapy I've fought so hard for my son to have. It felt as if someone or something had placed them there to reassure me."
People can still support Zac's fundraising campaign at justgiving.com/crowdfunding/zac-oliver or can donate to Zac using their mobile phone by texting ZACH75 £1 to 70070.
They can also join Zac's Facebook support page which is called 'Zachariah's's fight against Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia'.
