Leukaemia diagnosis
In June 2017, my daughter Sophia was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) at the age of just two. Sophia was immediately admitted to John Radcliffe Hospital where she received urgent blood and platelet transfusions. Over the course of those first few days, Sophia received fluids, pain relief and chemotherapy to which she responded really well. Unfortunately, we quickly learnt that where the leukaemia was so compact in her spine it had caused a compression fracture from T8-T11 of her back which meant Sophia remained unable to walk for many months. During these initial weeks Sophia and I stayed in hospital and eventually felt like residents! The team are amazing and we just couldn’t thank them all enough for their care and compassion. Finally the day came were we were discharged home and were able to enjoy the home comforts we had so missed. The treatment protocol for ALL is long and the adjustment of being home and giving a number of medications each day was a challenge. But eventually we became experts in our daughters care and needs. Over time Sophia became more mobile, crawling at first and then slowly standing. Her ‘first steps’ are a moment I will never forget.
