A Birmingham mother has described the terrifying moment she was told her toddler had cancer, an event which triggered her labour just hours later as she prepared for her daughter's fight for life.
A Diagnosis That Changed Everything
Leanne Purcell, from Billesley, was nine months pregnant in October 2023 when her two-year-old daughter, Connie, fell ill. Connie had developed a cold and a slight yellow tinge to her skin, prompting a visit to the GP. Her condition deteriorated rapidly that same evening.
"She couldn't pick up her spoon to eat," Leanne recalled. "She was going blue and couldn't use her right arm, so I thought she was having a stroke." Rushed to hospital, Connie underwent tests which delivered a devastating result: acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), a rare cancer of the blood and bone marrow.
Birth and Treatment Begin Side-by-Side
Reeling from the diagnosis, Leanne's body went into shock. Just hours after receiving the news, she went into labour while lying on a camp bed next to Connie in the hospital ward. Her second daughter, Niamh, was born two days before Connie was due to start her first chemotherapy session.
"Wednesday was the only day nothing was happening, and that was the day Niamh decided to arrive," Leanne said. "It was a perfect day because Friday was Connie's first day of chemo. On Thursday morning, I was able to bring Niamh to meet her big sister, which was lovely."
Connie endured weeks of intense treatment, including chemotherapy and strong steroids that left her struggling to walk. However, a follow-up bone marrow test in November 2023 showed traces of the cancer remained, indicating a medium-to-high risk of it returning.
A Pioneering Path to Recovery
Faced with this challenge, the family did not hesitate when offered a place on a groundbreaking clinical trial aimed at improving treatments for childhood leukaemia. The trial's goal is to tailor treatment to each child to maximise cure rates while minimising side effects.
Connie was randomly selected to receive a targeted drug called Inotuzumab ozogamicin, which seeks out leukaemia cells by targeting a specific protein. This added an extra eight weeks to her initial treatment before she began a 12-month maintenance chemotherapy course.
Now a lively four-year-old, Connie is thriving. She is due to ring the bell marking the end of her cancer treatment on December 28, just in time for a very special Christmas with her baby sister. In recognition of her immense bravery, she has received a Cancer Research UK for Children and Young People Star Award.
"Connie is so brave; she faces everything head-on," said a proud Leanne. "I've tried to match that and have seen a strength in myself that I never even realised was possible." Her sister Niamh also received a Star certificate in recognition of the family's shared ordeal.
Paula Young, a spokesperson for Cancer Research UK in the West Midlands, said: "After everything Connie's been through, it's been an absolute privilege to celebrate her incredible courage. We're funding dedicated research to find new and better ways to beat this devastating disease."
