A mum has been left heartbroken after her son's suspected tonsillitis turned out to be a deadly cancer.

Stephanie Dalziel was left devastated after her son, Blake, was unexpectedly diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia at just five years old.

The young boy had begun losing weight and lost his appetite suddenly, which lead to his mum seeking medical advice.

The 29-year-old claims Blake was originally diagnosed with tonsillitis and was placed on antibiotics, however, just a week later, the little tot had to be rushed back to hospital.

After numerous tests, in December 2022, Stephanie and her partner, Anthony Gallagher, 32, from Glasgow, were given the devastating news that their little boy was battling cancer.

"I honestly could not believe I was hearing the words coming out of the doctor's mouth when she said ‘I'm sorry but your son has leukaemia’," the mum, who is a healthcare support worker, told NeedToKnow.co.uk.

"It’s a moment I will never forget.

"It has totally hit the whole family like a tonne of bricks.

"Nobody expects something like this to happen in their family, then it comes crashing down.

[Right now], we are all just trying to support each other and be there for each other.

"It's emotionally, physically, and mentally tiring, but I'll never stop fighting for my boy."

Since being diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, which is a type of blood cancer, Blake has had to undergo weekly rounds of intensive chemotherapy, leaving his mum “heartbroken”.

The little tot will have to receive treatment for the next three and a half years.

She said: "It is absolutely heartbreaking as a parent to watch your child go through the harshest of treatments, but also knowing he needs it to get him better.

"It's hard to try and tell a five-year-old that he has leukaemia, so we told him that his blood is just a little bit different from everyone else's and he is at the hospital to get it fixed.

"When we first came in, he did not trust any of the nurses or doctors at all and would try to fight them away.

"Now, sadly, he is used to this life.

"Blake has had numerous blood transfusions and platelet transfusions, we are so grateful to people who take their time to donate blood/platelets, as they have helped our boy and many other people."

Stephanie says her little boy has been a "superstar" throughout the ordeal, but the thought of him missing out on childhood activities makes her sad.

She said: "I feel so sad that he is missing out on so many things.

"He has missed out on school, so many play dates with his friends and I'm just sad that he can't live a normal life like every other child.

"But on the other hand, I'm extremely proud of how well he has handled the situation and how resilient he has been.

“Blake is my superhero and I tell him this every day.

"I'm in awe at his strength!"

Blake has been responding really well to the chemotherapy and has begun the next phase of chemotherapy, which is more "intense".

The family want to share his story with the hopes of raising more awareness of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

Stephanie added: "I hope that this story makes people aware of how quickly life can change, with no warning.

"A lot more people need to be aware of leukaemia symptoms and realise that it's not as rare as people think.

"Classic symptoms of leukaemia are bruising in unusual places, bleeding gums, pale, lethargic, frequent or long-term infections, sudden weight loss and bone/joint pain.

"Blake was pale, lethargic, and complained of bone/muscle pain before he was diagnosed.

"I would recommend any parent who is ever worried about their child's symptoms, go to your GP and be firm.

"You're not being a paranoid parent, our children need us to fight their corner when they can't themselves."

Jam Press contacted Glasgow Children’s Hospital where Blake was treated but they declined to comment.

ENDS

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