A 'thankful' young man has decided to give something back after going through years of difficult medical treatment as a child.
In 2006, Cian McGrath began feeling more tired than usual while "bruises came out of nowhere". Eventually, he was diagnosed with leukaemia at the age of six.
Following the diagnosis, Cian, of Allerton Road, went through four years of cancer treatment which ended in 2010 when he was aged 10. Now, at the age of 22, Cian is studying medicine at University and says his placement at the oncology department of Newcastle hospital has really hit home to him.
Being at the hospital has taken him back to his cancer journey and his time going in and out of Alder Hey and has now become his inspiration to really make a difference and give back to all those that helped him as a child. He now hopes to 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 to better treat different forms of cancer. Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, Cian said: "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."
You can find Cian's fundraiser on GoFundMe here .
Cian noted that there are a wide range of signifiacant symptoms relating to leukaemia which can manifest itself in different ways for different people.
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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