The only signs we had that Seren was unwell was some tiredness and then in early December 2018 she looked an odd colour so we arranged for blood tests to be taken and were immediately admitted to hospital.
Seren had to receive blood transfusions in order to keep her going whilst the doctors struggled to diagnose her. Eventually after a week, the most awful week, and a bone marrow aspiration Seren was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) on 18th December aged 6.
Chemotherapy treatment began immediately and Seren spent Christmas at Birmingham Children’s Hospital (BCH), she faced it all with strength and courage. Seren then attended appointments at BCH where she underwent multiple weekly chemotherapy treatments, as well as a range of other drugs and procedures including steroids, general anaesthetics, lumbar punctures, bone marrow tests, blood tests, transfusions and antibiotic treatments for infections. Her immune system is weak, but they allow us to stay at home between treatments and administer pain relief and other oral medication at home or through the community nursing team.
In February 2019 we got the devastating news that the treatment hadn’t cleared the cancer and we were moved into a more intense chemotherapy regime. Seren again faced it with courage and positivity and began fundraising to help other children struggling with cancer.
During her treatment she has raised £36,000 with the help of friends and family which we donated to many charities that had helped her and to CCLG to research kinder treatments.
After more hospital stays, more blood transfusions high dose chemotherapy and losing her hair all over again, Seren finished her treatment in May 2021 aged 8 and a half.
It took time to get over the side effects of the treatment and some are still with her but, she’s getting back to a normal life and the gifted day out will be a way for her to feel just like a normal 9 year old after missing out on so much.