Lily-ann Larmour, from Ayr, is currently undergoing life-saving treatment at Glasgow’s Royal Hospital for Children but needs help returning home safely between her chemotherapy sessions
A family discovered their toddler had leukaemia after her fractured leg failed to properly heal.
Lily-ann Larmour, from Ayr in west Scotland, is now facing a two-and-a-half year battle to save her life while undergoing chemotherapy and other treatments at Glasgow’s Royal Hospital for Children.
However, due to her compromised immune system, she could contract a deadly infection once she returns, which has lead to her family setting up a GoFundMe page in the hopes of helping her come home safely between hospital treatments.
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Single mum Chloe Wells, 26, told the Record: “Lily-ann is going through five weeks intensive treatment and then she has a further six months of chemotherapy and she will be in and out of hospital during that time.
“We’ll find out more about how she is responding to the treatment after a bone marrow biopsy and a lumbar puncture this week. She’s got a wee infection just now and is on different antibiotics but she’s a wee fighter.
“The course of the treatment is over two and a half years. Because she doesn’t have an immune system due to the treatment she is going through, we hope the GoFundMe page will help us to make the home better for her.”
Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) is a rare type of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow and is the most common cancer in small children, particularly those aged one to four. It develops quickly and is treated with chemotherapy and steroids. The cause is often unknown.
Symptoms can include bruising, fever, and loss of appetite, but these symptoms can also be caused by other conditions, so a doctor’s diagnosis is crucial. Young children typically have a high survival rate.
Lily-Ann’s aunt, Emma Lindsay, 32, who set up the GoFundMe page, added: “Lily-Ann had hurt her leg and was a bit under the weather but when she got the cast off, she still wasn’t right.
“The doctors arranged for bloods to be taken and we just couldn’t believe it when they confirmed that it was leukaemia. Everything happened so fast. She has no immunity to fight infections which has given Chloe a fright. The devastating news that has flipped our lives upside down.
“As a family are incredibly proud of our beautiful girl Lily-ann and her amazing mum Chloe who hasn’t left her side which hasn’t at all been easy due to Chloe also having another daughter Lexi-Rose who is five. Lily-ann misses her sister terribly.
“As family we are all doing everything we can to support them. We are all chipping in to help and would love to get the house renovated for when Lily-Ann is allowed home due to Lily-ann’s compromised immune system.
“Chloe wants to get the house ready for Lily-ann’s return so that she will have the best chance of avoiding infection when she gets home.”