Boy, 4, unable to bathe after cancer can now swim

Dzemil was able to indulge his love for water while on a Center Parcs holiday

A four-year-old boy who was unable to have a bath for nine months due to cancer treatment has been given the chance to "swim to his heart's content" at a holiday resort.

Dzemil, from Liverpool, was born with a rare genetic condition and, after his second birthday, was diagnosed with stage four brain cancer.

Since then he has endured three brain operations, 12 rounds of chemotherapy and proton therapy. While Dzemil is now in remission, doctors have warned he has a high chance of relapse.

Dzemil's mum Hope explained that, for nine months, her son had been "unable to be by any water because of the risk of infection, which could lead to sepsis".

Hope added: "Basically for nine months, Dzemil couldn't even really have a bath.

"He was just sponge-washed, which was difficult for a two-year-old who likes to splash."

Hope said the holiday meant they could "away from hospital appointments for a week"

After support from the Make-A-Wish charity, the family were offered a Center Parcs holiday in Nottinghamshire.

"For five days, he could swim to his heart's content or splash," said Hope.

"I think other visitors must have thought 'Are we doing anything else while we're here?'"

The family did take full advantage of the surroundings at the Sherwood Forest site, however.

Dzemil - who has learning and mobility challenges - and his six-year-old sister Amal loved having an aerial adventure in the woods.

"He was quite hesitant at first wearing a harness," Hope said.

"But I think him seeing the other children in his group doing it, he started to copy them and then towards the end, it was like watching a different child.

"I did even have a little cry while I was standing at the side.

"To see him gaining that confidence, when he was off the ground and walking on a narrow bridge, it was just really nice to see him being able to do that."

She said she was "very grateful" for the "opportunity as a family to make memories".

"Just seeing them together, being away from hospital appointments for a week, not having to open any letters from the hospital and just kind of be a normal family - it was just amazing."