This six-year old has cancer - and a whole 12 metres of beads of courage
Six-year old Thomas began gathering the beads on his first day in Leeds Children’s Hospital, and each bead from Leeds Cares represents a different test or procedure he has gone through.
It was in February last year that his mum Gemma was told the heart-breaking news that Thomas has cancer. Her son now visits Leeds Children’s Hospital regularly for treatment and has done so throughout the coronavirus pandemic.
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Hide AdThe family’s first warning came when Thomas was off school with a sickness bug and suddenly developed a rash.
Gemma rushed him to Leeds General Infirmary fearing he had meningitis, but the reality was far worse.
They were told Thomas has T Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia, an aggressive type of cancer that progresses quickly.
Gemma said, “The doctors said Thomas was lucky I brought him to A&E when I did. If it had been another week, they might not have been able to save his life.”
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Hide AdIt was not the first-time Thomas had to fight for his life. He suffered complications at birth and contracted sepsis aged two.
After more than a year of treatment, Thomas’s beads are a whopping 12 metres long!
Mum Gemma added: “Thomas is so proud of his Beads of Courage, collecting them has really helped Thomas understand and explain what he’s going through to other people – he loves them!”
Each bead has a special meaning attached to it and collecting the beads helps to reduce procedural anxiety during their treatment, in children.
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Hide AdGemma describes them as a ‘visual journal’. She said: “When we look back at the beads together, we realise how much of a little fighter Thomas is.”
Thomas’s fight is far from over, as he faces two-and-a-half more years of treatment.
He hopes to collect enough beads to stretch right across his school hall.