A Metropolitan Police detective today told how a bedtime cuddle saved her daughter’s life.
Jane Johnson was putting Daisy, then aged three, down for the night when she felt a lump in her stomach. She had been ill with several infections that would not clear up, but doctors had told Mrs Johnson it was nothing to worry about.
However, after feeling the swelling she took her daughter to the GP surgery again the next morning.
They were sent to St George’s Hospital where tests revealed the lump was an enlarged spleen. Daisy’s white blood cell count was also 10 times the normal level and she was eventually diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
Mrs Johnson, 47, of Streatham, said: “I felt a hard swelling in Daisy’s stomach as I was giving her a cuddle before bed. She had had a number of infections that just wouldn’t go away. But three doctors told me I should get used to a child her age being ill. But something just didn’t feel right. Luckily I saw a GP I hadn’t seen before and she got on the phone to the hospital. Daisy was started on chemotherapy almost straight away.”
She was admitted in October 2015 and given the all-clear last March, just before her sixth birthday. Mrs Johnson and husband Garry — also a police officer — are now raising money for Cancer Research UK. Daisy has received a Kids & Teens Star Award, presented by the charity in partnership with TK Maxx, for her courage. “Daisy was diagnosed really late,” said Mrs Johnson. “When doctors saw she was recovering they told us she was lucky to be alive. Obviously that was really upsetting. But we are just so grateful. We just want to ... make sure other families experiencing this have the same support.”
A spokeswoman for Cancer Research UK said: “The Cancer Research UK Kids & Teens Star Awards recognise young cancer patients who have survived cancer or are currently being treated.”
- To nominate a child visit cruk.org/kidsandteens
