On Tuesday 14th May 2024 Nahla was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) after weeks of being unwell without a full diagnosis. This news has broken our hearts as a family and we are all still coming to terms with the diagnosis.

Today, 16/05/2024 Nahla is beginning her chemotherapy with a long and windy road ahead to recovery. Her tiny body being subject to harsh drugs and steroids which will cause huge changes both inside and outside of her body.

For people who are not aware of the journey so far…Nahla has been seemingly unwell for a number of months with different viral infections and bouts of feeling unwell; like most 2 year olds we suspected it was just her age and our GPs prescribed antibiotics which would address the issues. It was however on the 11th March that we took Nahla to Princess Alexandra Hospital, Harlow. Nahla did not want to walk or bare weight on her legs and we knew something was wrong. Tests after tests entailed with a sketchy diagnosis of ‘irratable hip’ given and some antibiotics to complete. We completed these with zero improvement and a child who was consistently having high temperatures, lethargy, pain and no interest in playing or doing anything! Back to the hospital we went. Minutes became hours and hours became days. Waiting and waiting for more tests and more blood tests and finally an MRI scan of her hip. Specialists now claimed she had bone infection in her hip - Osteomyelitis was present and so we began a course of IV antibiotics. First one then quickly two. The hospital became our second home - sleeping on the pull out beds whilst Nahla received 4 doses infused for hours over the course of 24 hours. Nahla’s blood tests were showing her as anaemic, iron deficient and with a low white blood cell and Haemoglobin count. Her CRP (infection markers) were 180 when typically they should be a single digit. The antibiotics made a difference in her general health for all of two days and so it was decided she would change to an oral dose of one antibiotic. Within 24 hours Nahla regressed hugely and her temperatures and pain increased. 6 re-cannulations over 1 week led to a request to Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge for a PICC line (a more secure line to administer the antibiotics) - we waited for 13 days for the proceedure to be done. With no improvements in her health during this time and tired of being told it will be the next day and then the next, we decided to go to Addenbrookes Hospital A&E To take over her card. We had the names of the consultants who had accepted our care and stayed put until someone started taking us seriously. We stayed at the hospital until the line was put in. We were moved to the childrens ward as the Drs and consultants began to be aware of the bigger picture. Nahla continued to be visibly unwell and her temperature continued to spike and blood results were worrying at best. Nahla had inflammed lymph nodes which appeared in her neck, armpits and groin. The Drs struggled to upease our worries and we could see the fear in their eyes as they tried to reassure us.

Nahla’s antibiotics were assessed and changed - another MRI scan requested and a procedure to take a bone marrow sample - this procedure took place on 13/05/2024. A number of further blood tests were taken to test for rare and exotic diseases and viruses. The senior consultant/registrar spoke with us after theatre and warned us of some things which may show up. We had to wait 24 hours to find out what was going on. Those hours felt like the longest of our lives. Eventually the time came, three of the most senior consultants at the hospital sat around our bed and broke the news that Nahla had in fact been diagnosed with Leukemia. That the ‘infection’ of her hip was in fact cancerous white blood cells and that they had spread across her body and around into her vertebrae and spine.

Our family have set up this page to ask for help and support on this road to recovery. Any donations will go towards supporting travel costs to and from the hospitals for treatment, to support food and essentials whilst we are not in work. For intense cleaning and the decoration of a play room at home for Nahla whilst she is recovering. Keeping the environment sterile and ‘cancer free’ and a safe space Nahla can play and get better. We also want to make donations to charities who support families like ours going through a journey like this.

With all of our love, thanks and hope; Thank you.

Nahla, Scott, Natalia, Amelia and Julian xx