Ayotte Advocates for Hudson Family in Quest for Cancer Treatment

Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-NH, has joined the fast-growing list of supporters in McKenzie Lowe's corner. 

One year after her diagnosis with inoperable brain cancer, McKenzie Lowe needs a miracle. In the meantime, her family is pushing for approval from the FDA via an online petition, to try an experimental treatment.

On Tuesday, Ayotte wrote a letter directly asking the FDA Commissioner to McKenzie access to the treatment, the last and only hope of a cure.

"The Lowes are fighting for their terminally-ill little girl and they deserve the right to explore treatment options that may help her continue to fight her cancer," Ayotte wrote in a Nov. 26 letter to the FDA Commissioner.  "Whether or not a terminally-ill child is able to receive certain types of care should be a decision made by the family.  I would hope the FDA would not stand in the way when no other treatment options are available for an already terminally-ill child."

In January we brought you McKenzie's story on Nashua Patch, as the family learned the meaning of community in the most difficult of circumstances.  McKenzie's was diagnosed on Nov. 28, 2012 with DIPG – Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma, an aggressive, inoperable brain cancer.

The outpouring of support for McKenzie was beyond heartening for the family, a community of caring emerged that has continued to buoy the family's spirits in the face of uncertainty, as they now seek experimental treatment under the FDA's "compassionate use program."

One drug, Antineoplastons, although controversial and not yet FDA approved, has helped others through treatment offered at the Burzynski Clinic in Texas, said Frank LaFountain, McKenzie's maternal grandfather.

But to even get on the FDA radar, a petition with a minimum of 100,000 signatures was necessary, LaFountain said. So the family launched a campaign via change.org. 

Signatures have been mounting all week, thanks in part to a push across our national Patch network, and have jumped from a few thousand to more than 40,000. On Tuesday, however, the campaign got a mighty bump from Ayotte, who added her persuasive voice to the mix by sending a letter to Margaret Hamburg, Commissioner for the U.S. FDA.

Wrote Ayotte, in part:

"It is my understanding that the FDA has the ability to grant expanded access, or "compassionate use," for certain individuals to use an unapproved drug when no comparable treatment is available.  According to the agency's website, these compassionate use designations may be made when a patient has a serious or "immediately life-threatening" disease or medical condition."

LaFountain said Wednesday that the family is glad to see Ayotte stepping in on their behalf.
"All I can say is that is something to be so happy about, especially at this holiday time. Now, a yes from the FDA would be a truly fantastic Happy Thanksgiving," LaFountain said.

We'll continue to follow this story and bring you updates as we get them.

Click here to sign the petition at change.org.