A "thankful" young man who went through years of gruelling treatment as a child was inspired to give something back.
In 2006 Cian McGrath began to feel more tired than usual and "bruises came out of nowhere". At the age of six, he was diagnosed with leukaemia which he said came as a "shock" to his family. He underwent four gruelling years of treatment, which ended in 2010 when he was 10.
Now aged 22, Cian is studying medicine at university - but it was at his placement at the oncology department of Newcastle hospital that hit home to him. Reminding him of his own cancer journey, and his time in and out of Alder Hey, Cian said it inspired to make a difference and give back to those that helped him.
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He will now take part in the Great North Run on September 11 to raise funds for Children's Cancer North. The independent charity provides support for families, raising awareness and investing in research.
Cian, of Allerton Road, told the ECHO: "I remember when I was six, I wasn't myself. It was near the end of Year Two and close to the last days of school and one of my mum's friends, who was a doctor, noticed that I was tired a lot and not playing with my friends.
"Then bruises started coming out of nowhere and eventually I was diagnosed and was in and out of Alder Hey. I remember I used to go to theatre once every four to six weeks and it was quite a lot. But when I was 10 I was in remission.
"I've recently done a placement on the oncology department in Newcastle and it was there I was really able to see the work being done by doctors and it felt right to be able to do something and raise some money for the charity.
"It's more than helping through treatment, there are specialists who help you play games and make you feel somewhat normal. It just feels great to be able to raise money and make you feel like you are making a difference, no matter how much you raise.
"You can see it at the hospital, you can see the work everyone does to try and help and it feels nice to see the charity is making a difference on the wards they are at, and knowing that I was one of those children."
Cian's fundraiser, which has already almost hit his target, can be found by clicking here.
Cian said there are a huge range of symptoms for leukaemia which can present in many different ways in different people. According to the NHS, Leukaemia is named according to the type of white blood cell which is affected and whether it is chronic or acute.
The four main types of leukaemia are:
- chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) - main symptoms being feeling tired, weight loss/loss of appetite, abdominal discomfort, bleeding/bruising easily and bone pain.
- acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) - main symptoms being looking pale, feeling tired and breathless, more infections than usual, unusual bleeding, fever and sweats and feeling generally tired/unwell.
- chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) - main symptoms being fatigue, frequent infections, enlarged lymph nodes, bruising and bleeding easily, tender abdominal lump, severe sweating at night and weight loss.
- acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) - main symptoms being feeling fatigued/unwell, aching joints and bones, various infections one after the other, unusual bleeding and bruising
For more information about Children's Cancer North click here.
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