Gabriel Gemegah was only seven when he was diagnosed with lymphoma
(Picture: Supplied)A mother and her 11-year-old son who suffered from blood cancer have returned to the London hospital where he was treated to celebrate his first Christmas in remission.
Gabriel Gemegah was only seven when he was diagnosed with stage 4 T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma and has been in and out of Newham hospital for chemotherapy, lumbar punctures and blood tests for three years.
Before his diagnosis, he spent time in and out of A&E before becoming “extremely unwell” and being admitted into hospital on life support.
His mum Seyrah said: “It was a long, intense and painful experience, especially as a single mum of two young boys, but I never felt alone. Everyone in the children’s cancer team, from the doctors to the nurses and play specialists, were there from us from the start.”
Gabriel has ADHD and autism, meaning treatment was often a difficult experience.
“He couldn’t sit still during chemotherapy and didn’t quite understand was what happening and why, but the team accommodated and understood him,” Ms Gemegah continued.
On Monday, Gabriel visited the hospital to celebrate with the children’s cancer team that cared for him at their Christmas grotto and party – the first to happen in-person since the Covid pandemic.
“Over the past three years, everyone in the children’s cancer team became his friend. We even celebrated the end of Gabriel’s cancer treatment in September this year surrounded by everyone who cared for him throughout the journey,” Ms Gemegah said.
“We’re so thankful that Gabriel is now in remission and that we can come back to celebrate Christmas with the team that has been there for us over the years.”
Gabriel and his mother were joined at the celebrations by Jacqui Seaton and Kady Tambi, both clinical nurse specialists in paediatric oncology who helped to treat him.
Ms Seaton said that Gabriel and his family had stayed “so strong” during his treatment.
“I am thrilled to be able to see them both doing so well. It’s patients like Gabriel that inspire me and my children’s cancer team to keep doing what we do.”
And Ms Tambi added: “Being a paediatric nurse is the best job in the world. No matter how sick the children are they always manage to make me smile. It’s a privilege to get to know the families like Seyrah and Gabriel’s, and I have so much respect for how they deal with anything they encounter on the treatment journey.
“Seeing the young people recover and go on to lead fulfilling lives means the world to me and this is what motivates me on the hardest of days. The families are simply inspirational.”
