Caiden’s cough diagnosed as rare leukaemia
A SEVEN-YEAR-OLD boy is likely to spend Christmas in hospital after his persistent cough turned out to be a rare form of leukaemia.
Cardiff City fan Caiden Owen, a year three pupil at Ysgol Gymraeg Pwll Coch in Leckwith, is now undergoing intensive chemotherapy treatment following his diagnosis earlier this week.
A group of mums at the school, upon hearing the devastating news, decided to rally round to support Caiden and his mother, Claire Owen.
And less than 24 hours after setting up a GoFundMe page in his honour, more than £1,500 was raised.
Mum and close friend of Claire, Aimee Thomas, said: “Everybody has come together to help as much as they can.
“We cannot help physically, but we can raise awareness at this sad time.”
Aimee said Caiden, who also plays rugby for Canton RFC, had complained of a cough before the school term had started.
“His mum was back and forth to the doctors and initially there were no concerns. They just gave him a pump,” she said.
“He’s not an unwell child normally and he wasn’t complaining too much. He was still playing football and going to rugby.
“But on the weekend she noticed he just wasn’t looking at all well so she took him to hospital. That’s when they discovered he had a rare form of leukaemia.
“He’s a really fun, outgoing and just lovely little boy.”
Caiden, who lives in Ely, Cardiff, is currently an inpatient at the Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital for Wales where he is receiving chemotherapy three times a day for two weeks.
Aimee, along with mums Kara Spinola, Beth Healan, Rachel Kennedy, Leah Evans and Debbie Sylvester, say they have been overwhelmed by the community’s generosity so far.
“We set up the GoFundMe page it was only shared privately among friends – and we still managed to raise £1,000.
“Everyone has been so generous.” Nicola James Owens, another mum at the school, is designing special hoodies for the children to wear, with money from each sale being donated to the cause. And mum Rachel Kennedy is organising a raffle.
■ To donate, visit www.gofundme. com/f/yxgby-caiden