Stacey Reddin has urged other parents not to ignore symptoms
After seven-year-old Leighland Reddin started suffering from headaches and a diminishing appetite, his family was hit with devastating news. His concerned mother, Stacey, aged 28, initially thought the headaches that began in November 2024 could be symptoms of a viral infection, but persistent health issues led to a more thorough investigation.
Despite normal initial blood test results, a subsequent visit to the doctor in January 2025 revealed through further testing, including a bone marrow exam, that Leighland was battling bone marrow leukaemia. Looking at a two-year challenge of weekly chemotherapy treatments ahead, Leighland’s loved ones have rallied to fund the youngster’s dream trip to Disneyland Paris, planning for the celebration when he’s on the mend.
Stacey, from Morley, West Yorkshire, said: “I would not wish this on my worst enemy. This has been a nightmare and came as a massive shock to our family. This isn’t even something that should cross any parent’s mind.”
The ordeal began with the onset of headaches in November, after which Stacey noted Leighland’s lack of interest in food and drink. The initial doctor’s visit resulted in a blood test that showed nothing unusual, yet with no improvement seen, Stacey persisted, bringing Leighland back to the doctor in January 2025.
She said: “I thought it was a viral infection. The doctor performed a blood test, which came back normal. We left it a little longer and I noticed there was no change, so I went back to the doctor. The doctor told me to go up to Dewsbury Hospital for more blood tests.”
Doctors at Dewsbury Hospital phoned Stacey to say that they needed to go back to the hospital as soon as possible as the blood test results showed that his white blood cells were low and Leighland had lost half a stone in weight. They were then transferred to Pinderfields Hospital, Wakefield, for more blood tests before being sent to Leeds General Hospital.
Stacey said: “When we arrived in Leeds, Leighland went for a bone marrow test and later that afternoon we were told that he had bone marrow leukaemia and would need to undergo chemotherapy once a week for two years. The news came as a massive shock to my family and me. I cannot stress enough to parents if there is something wrong with your child you need to go get it checked.”
Since starting chemotherapy Leighland has been under constant supervision and lost his hair due to the treatment. Despite this, Stacey said that he is still the apple of their family’s eye and has been told he will make a full recovery. Now, the family are raising funds to take Leighland to Disneyland once he has completed chemotherapy.
“He is really tired because of the treatment he is having,” Stacey said. “They started chemotherapy pretty much straight away. He started losing his hair and made the choice that he wanted it shaved off.
“It has been a long process. He is a brilliant kid, before he got poorly he was fantastic and put a smile on everyone’s face.”
The family has set up a fundraiser for the Disneyland trip.