The mother of a toddler who is battling cancer says she has watched her son lose his hair and become weak in the last 12 weeks.
Michelle Rooney's son Frankie was diagnosed with leukemia in August 2022, and is undergoing intensive treatment. The three-year-old's parents took him to hospital with a high temperature and rapid breathing in April, but they say he was sent home and told it was "viral".
Two months on, they began to notice bruising on the child's knees and shins. During bathtime one evening, Michelle says she spotted a bruise on the side of Frankie's neck, and flagged this with her doctor who advised that they went to A&E.
Read more: Parents' heartache as they bury son days after he is sent home from A&E
Michelle, from Armagh, said: "We went down to A&E and within hours we were told he had blood cancer. Now when I look back and knowing he has cancer I can see the small symptoms but because I was with him everyday I didn’t notice the changes.
"The cancer has took over 98% of my three-year-old's body. He will be on chemo for three and a half years. The good news is that he has a 90% survival rate all going well and his body reacts well with his treatment and he doesn’t catch an infection.
"Never did we ever think we would be chatting daily about bone marrow or platelets or blood transfusions or white blood cells or spinal fluid but we are. I don’t think I’ll ever accept it. As much as I know our Frankie will kick its a** there is still fear of the unknown.
"I want everyone to know Frankie's story because then we have more prayers and that’s honestly the only thing we have now along with the lovely messages we receive daily and believe me it keeps our spirits up."
Frankie had to be moved to more intense treatment recently as his cancer cells didn’t come down enough with the first round of chemotherapy. Knowing their little boy is a fighter, his family say they will keep going "until he rings that bell".
Michelle told Belfast Live: "He is neutropenic which means he has nothing to fight off any bugs or infections. And has one infection after another. He was diagnosed 12 weeks ago and we have spent most of it in hospital. We are barely getting to see our other kids and have got to the stage we don’t allow them into the same room as him as they are at school and sports and we are afraid they could carry something back to him as every infection is life-threatening to Frankie.
"It isn’t fair at all. It affects the whole family. The support the community has shown has been so so heartwarming. Our community and beyond has been amazing. Prayers, well wishes, masses being offered and the fundraisers. We appreciate it all. It gives us comfort to know how many people care and are invested in Frankie's journey. And of course we are lucky to have an amazing family."
You can click this link if you'd like to donate to Frankie's fundraiser.
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