Wigan toddler's mum praises cancer nurses

Theo Hamilton, three, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia by specialists after his parents, Katt and Loz Hamilton, took him to A&E believing that he was suffering from meningitis when he developed a rash on his back.

The Up Holland youngster has been battling the disease since September but has recently been put on an aggressive course of chemotherapy as the cancer is not shrinking as fast as expected.

Speaking to the Observer, Theo’s mum Katt said: “The bone marrow test showed the leukaemia was shrinking but an MRD scan determined how much of it was left and there was a bit more than hoped.

“With his new regiment there is a bit more chemo and it will take a little longer than planned.

“Every time he is ill his treatment gets pushed back, we have been told it’s going to make him quite poorly because of the intensity of the treatment and the amount he’s on.

“So far on week three out of eight weeks, he’s proving everyone wrong.

“His hair is starting to come out again and he gets tired a lot quicker and his mood swings have got worse but he still has a smile on his face most of the time and tries his best to keep playing, even if we are just curled up on the sofa. He’s amazing.”

After spending several weeks in hospital, the family were allowed to return home.

But Katt has had to learn a whole world of medical procedures in order to keep little Theo comfortable at home and prevent him having to travel to Manchester all the time.

She added: “I’m now learning how to flush his new line as we don’t have any community nurses in the area for children’s cancer who can come out and flush his line or give him one of his chemo treatments.

“We have to drive back every day for it at the moment. Normally this can be done with a community nurse but as we have none I’m now being trained by my Macmillan nurse Rachel to do it myself and save the trip, especially now it’s getting colder.

“She’s amazing and has given me the confidence to believe I can do it.

“The nurses are like family to us now.”