'Some of us die... It's too much for our little bodies': Eight-year-old cancer survivor issues plea to President Trump to increase funding to help kids 'beat the odds' against the disease
- Abriel Bentley, from Scottsdale, Arizona, was diagnosed with aggressive bone cancer Ewing's Sarcoma in 2015
- After 17 rounds of chemotherapy and surgery she is now in remission
- Speaking in an impassioned video message, Abriel called on Donald Trump to increase funding for fighting childhood cancer
- In the video, viewed hundreds of thousands of times, she asked him to 'help us the beat the odds against childhood cancer'
An eight-year-old cancer survivor has challenged Donald Trump to help children 'beat the odds' against the disease.
In an impassioned video message, viewed hundreds of thousands of times, Abriel Bentley called on the new President to increase funding for fighting childhood cancer.
Abriel, from Scottsdale, Arizona, was diagnosed with aggressive bone cancer Ewing's Sarcoma in 2015 and after 17 rounds of chemotherapy and surgery is now in remission.
Challenge: Cancer survivor Abriel Bentley, eight, pictured, has issued a plea to Donald Trump to increase funding to help kids 'beat the odds' against the disease
Survivor: Abriel, from Scottsdale, Arizona, pictured in Washington, D.C. outside Trump International Hotel, was diagnosed with aggressive bone cancer Ewing's Sarcoma in 2015
Agonizing: After 17 rounds of chemotherapy and surgery she is now in remission
The direct message, delivered by Abriel herself, begins: 'Dear President Trump, congratulations, you beat the odds. Please help us the beat the odds against childhood cancer.
'As you take office there are a couple of things you need to know. Childhood cancer does not discriminate, it doesn't have borders, only research to help.'
Echoing Coalition Against Childhood Cancer statistics, she claims that under four per cent of National Cancer Institute funding goes to children's research, suggesting to the President: 'Maybe you can encourage them to increase funding.'
However, an NCI spokeswoman said this figure is 'distorted' because the majority of funding goes to 'basic research' which is not specifically tied to children or adults.
Call to action: Speaking in an impassioned video message, Abriel called on Donald Trump to increase funding for fighting childhood cancer
Plea: In the video, viewed hundreds of thousands of times, she asked him to 'help us the beat the odds against childhood cancer'
Abriel added: 'Some of us die from the effects of chemo. It's just too much for our little bodies. It's just not OK. It was tough for me but I made it through.'
After sharing pictures and videos from when she was sick, she urged the President: 'Please don't forget about us while you make America great again.'
She also suggested that he bathe the White House in gold light for a night to 'let everyone know that change is coming'.
Her mother Nikkole said it was agonizing for her and her husband Rod to witness Abriel's suffering, adding that no child makes it through cancer treatment 'unscathed'
Reminder: She urged the President, 'Please don't forget about us while you make America great again.'
Indicator: She suggested that he bathe the White House in gold light for a night to 'let everyone know that change is coming'
She told Today: 'This is what you are up against — you put your child through brutal chemo treatments in the hope that they live, but then you are faced with knowing you have caused them irreversible damage...that may kill them anyway.'
Abriel was first inspired to make a video directed at the now President, which they shared on Instagram, during a trip to Washington, D.C. for childhood cancer rally CureFest in September when she came across the Trump International Hotel.
During the election Abriel asked her mother if he won they could make another video asking for his support.
She said she wanted to include images of her suffering in the video so that people would know that 'cancer isn't just about smiley, bald kids getting free stuff and free trips.'
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