Brave girl, 10, gives sister the gift of life
A TWO-YEAR-OLD girl with cancer was given just weeks to live – but will now start nursery in September thanks to the bravery of her older sister.
Lyla-Mae O’Rourke was diagnosed with infant acute lymphoblastic leukaemia when she was just six months old after suffering a viral infection.
Doctors told her parents the devastating news and she was immediately given sessions of chemotherapy.
But experts decided she needed a bone marrow transplant to reset her immune system.
And her 10-year-old sister Leoni bravely stepped in to help.
A stem cell bone marrow transplant takes a donor’s healthy blood-forming cells and puts them into the patient’s bloodstream, where they begin to grow and make healthy red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets – basically resetting the immune system.
Leoni went through surgery to give her sister the bone marrow she desperately needed and now – just weeks after treatment – LylaMae has been given the all clear.
Her parents are finally celebrating being able to live a ‘normal’ life.
The youngster will be able to start nursery in September.
Parents Ryan O’Rourke and Jade Richards were overjoyed with the news. Ryan, 33, from Failsworth, said: “She has recovered so well from the bone marrow transplant.
“Children are normally in hospital for between six and ten weeks and just after three weeks she is being allowed home. Results from her bone marrow shows there are minimal bad cells, which to me and you means it’s a negative result and the leukaemia has gone.
“It felt like a massive weight has been lifted, it doesn’t feel real.
“Knowing Leoni did this makes you feel so proud as parents.
“They are both back to their usual selves, arguing over toys, but I couldn’t be happier.”
Lyla-Mae will need regular check-ups, but should only need to take penicillin going forward.
Leoni said: “I feel happy I did this because I will make Lyla better when she gets a bit older. And she will be able to do the things that she hasn’t done, that other kids her age do.”
Mum Jade, 27, added: “Lyla is so excited to go to school. We are really happy it’s all finally over. We can finally get our lives back.”