Appeal for young woman with leukaemia after stroke

The family of a young woman is raising money to fund private intensive rehabilitation treatment after it was discovered she had undiagnosed leukaemia following a life-changing stroke.

Cleo Davies, 22, from near Marlborough, suffered the stroke in January. After emergency admission to Swindon's Great Western Hospital, doctors discovered she was suffering from Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) Leukaemia.

An appeal has so far raised more than £27,000 towards Ms Davies' specialist neurological treatment, at Oaksey House, in Lambourn, west Berkshire.

Her mum, Heather, said that because her daughter was so young, it was "critical" she started rehab treatment as soon a possible to maximise the benefits.

Cleo Davies runs her own dog walking business and is devoted to her own dogs

Before her illness, Ms Davies was a "typically active young woman", explained her mother. Her daughter's dog-walking and exercise-paddock business were "going well", she said.

"She lives for her own dogs and loves caring for any animal. Even on holiday, on her birthday abroad, she chose to walk dogs from an animal sanctuary as her birthday treat," her mum said.

Oaksey House is an Injured Jockeys' Fund centre and will support Ms Davies with a tailored recovery plan to help her with her movement and speech, and can also offer her residential care in the early stages of her recovery.

The GoFundMe appeal set up by her family has so far raised two thirds of the target needed to help them pay for the rehabilitation treatment as soon as Ms Davies' cancer treatment allows.

Cleo Davies' mother Heather Davies has been at her bedside almost constantly since the stroke in early January

She says that with her daughter's age, the family feels it is really important Ms Davies regains as much movement and communication as possible.

"She's so bright, she's got so much going for her, she's a hard working girl. We just want to get her back on her feet."

The family says Ms Davies is astounded and "blown away" by the response so far and they are optimistic that, with treatment at Oaksey House, she can have make the best possible recovery.