Lillianna Loasby: Family left heartbroken after 2-year-old's 'bacterial infection' turns out to be aggressive cancer
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND: A heartbroken young mother is sharing her agony after her 2-year-old daughter’s bacterial infection turned out to be deadly cancer. Lillianna Loasby was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia on her third birthday, January 27 after doctors misinterpreted her severe symptoms as an infection in two instances.
Lillianna’s mother Morgan Berry, 22, first rushed her to their GP, when she became ill and showed unusual symptoms. The doctor diagnosed her with a bacterial infection and sent them home with antibiotics. A few days later, the GP intended to see Lillianna again as they wanted to examine her progress and check her heart rate. But things took an unexpected turn later that evening when Lillianna had a nosebleed and her mother took her to the hospital, according to the Mirror.
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The parents were again told that Lillianna had a bacterial infection and were sent on their way. However, this time Morgan was sure that something wasn’t right as she took her daughter to a different hospital for a second opinion. There, the doctors informed the worried mother that Lillianna may have a severe infection and began her sepsis treatment. After that, the 2-year-old was put into a coma to aid her body in fighting the disease.
'It was such a shock'
“They didn’t know where the infection was coming from,” Morgan told the Manchester Evening News. “They said she was a head-scratcher; they didn’t understand why she was so poorly. They told me she wasn’t well and that I need to be strong. I was a mess by this point. I was crying thinking, ‘Oh my God, what’s going to happen?’” Lilliana was then transferred to the oncology unit at Manchester Children’s Hospital where it was revealed that she had acute myeloid leukemia, an aggressive cancer of the monocyte or granulocyte cells. “I’m just going to say one word. Leukaemia,” the consultant informed the heartbroken family, Morgan said.
“It was such a shock,” Morgan added. “We were heartbroken; we were all crying. It’s hard to describe the feeling – it was like my whole world stopped and I couldn’t really process it. We got the results back and were told we had to wait for the consultants to come. We were waiting around and it was the longest 20 minutes of my life.”
Lillianna was immediately moved to the oncology unit and started a 10-day chemotherapy course on February 1. The brave 2-year-old will return to the hospital for an evaluation where it is hoped she will receive the all-clear. “She’s still fighting the infection and to this day we don’t know where it’s come from,” said Morgan. “She’s now got to rest for a couple of weeks so they can assess her and see whether it’s gone away,” she added.
'This is heartbreaking'
A GoFundMe page has also been set up in a bid to raise money for Lilliana’s treatment. “I’m wanting to raise as much as possible to help ease some pressure and stress from Lillianna’s amazing mummy and make their stay somewhat easier,” the fundraising page that has already raised $2,799 reads. “This is understandably a heartbreaking and tough time for Morgan and her family, any donation is more than appreciated.”