'Moment of joy' for girl with rare blood cancer

Melody's teddy bear gift brought joy to the family, Cancer Support UK said

A girl who has spent months battling a rare blood cancer is helping to spearhead a charity Christmas campaign.

Melody, who turns one year old on Thursday, was diagnosed in April with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML).

Her father Kevin, from Poole, Dorset, said a bone marrow transplant had not worked sufficiently well and doctors were "literally searching the whole world" for a cure for her.

Melody's story features in Cancer Support UK's annual Cuddles for Christmas appeal, which pays to send heatable teddy bears to children in hospital.

Her mother Rachel said the first signs of illness were like a "cold that lasted a bit longer than normal".

She said Melody then stopped breastfeeding and was taken to hospital where a doctor diagnosed bronchitis.

However, a second consultant ordered further tests which revealed AML.

Melody was diagnosed in April with acute myeloid leukaemia

Rachel said: "I can remember asking the consultant to repeat her words because it just didn't feel real."

Melody's father Kevin said they hoped that chemotherapy would cure her, but she then needed a bone marrow transplant at Great Ormond Street Hospital in August.

He said: "Unfortunately she's relapsed... The levels of leukaemia have come up.

"Her body is attacking the new donor transplant so she's currently having immunotherapy for that.

"It's no word of a lie that Great Ormond Street are literally searching the whole of the world.

"They're speaking to a company in Europe about a tablet, a drug that will help with the leukaemia.

"It's been really hard. We never obviously imagined that we would still be in hospital."

Mark Guymer, chief executive of Cancer Support UK, said the aim of the teddy bear appeal was to provide comfort.

He said: "What we know is people really want those moments of joy.

"It is really, really important that as well as providing empathy and support that we are also able to provide them with something that will distract them.

"It's a huge relief for the parents and we hear this again and again where there is a moment of joy, where a smile may pass their face."

The Cuddles for Christmas appeal began in 2020 during the Covid pandemic when limited hospital visitors were allowed.

It aims to send 1,200 microwavable teddy bears to hospitals and engage new donors.

AML is a a rare and fast-progressing type of cancer, with around 3,100 people diagnosed each year in the UK, most commonly those aged over 75.