A family's world was "turned upside down" after their young son visited a walk-in centre.
Charlie Stuchberry, five, was taken to St Helens walk-in on January 29 after coming out in a rash that "looked like sepsis", but after being sent to Whiston Hospital, the family received news "no parent ever wants to hear".
Blood tests showed the five-year-old had Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and was transferred to Alder Hey for treatment.
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Mum Daniella said: "Charlie has a blood clot disorder but this rash looked like sepsis so we went to get it checked out. We were sent to Whiston and that night were taken into a side room and told he had leukaemia.
"We were sent to Alder Hey the next day and on the Tuesday he had a bone marrow test and we stayed at hospital for the week.
"It's now what you expect to hear. He did have bloods in November, he had a lump on his neck and was complaining he was tired but they said the ultrasound was normal.
"Two months down the line and he has leukaemia which is frustrating but Alder Hey have been amazing."
Charlie is now on a treatment plan and will find out in three years if he is cancer free.
Daniella told the ECHO: "It's not going to be a fix quick. It's hard to explain what's going on. He was fine when he went to hospital but now he's really ill, he had an infection and had to have a blood transfusion.
"He's very weak and can't really do much, we can't go out because of risk of infection. It's going to get harder before it gets better. Our world has been turned upside down."
Daniella is now urging other parents to trust their instincts.
She added: "If you think something isn't right don't back down. I knew months back something wasn't quite right and I wish I'd pushed it and demanded tests because it probably would've showed.
"He was tired and had less of an appetite, he had a lump on his neck and had patchy skin. They put this down to his blood disorder.
"The staff at Alder Hey really are brilliant, they are much better at dealing with children.
"Parents, trust yourselves, trust your instincts. I wish I had."
Charlie has a pony that he is unable to ride until after his treatment and the local equestrian community are going to be wearing orange ribbons to represent childhood leukaemia as well as selling pins to raise money for the oncology ward at Alder Hey.
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