Wetherby dad backs leading cancer research

Leeds-based charity Candlelighters said it has funded a research project over a 10-year period has led to a change in national guidance in children’s cancer treatment across the UK and as far afield as Australia meaning children with cancer can spend more time at home with their families, instead of in hospital.

Ste’s son, Aspen, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in May 2020 at the age of five.

Ste, of Wetherby, said: “The unpredictable nature of needing to visit hospital anytime Aspen had a temperature or was unwell led to us needing to rely on our employers to be flexible and understanding.

“In one situation in October 2020, Aspen spent four days in hospital, came home for about 10 hours, had to be readmitted for another day, came home again and then needed to be readmitted again the next day for another three days.

“Each time I and Aspen’s mum took turns to go in, usually late at night with one of us needing to explain to Aspen’s younger brother where the other kept disappearing to.”

A spokesman for the Candlelighters, which supports children with cancer and their families, said that chemotherapy and other treatments can result in lengthy stays in hospital.

“One distressing complication of childhood cancer is frequent fevers, which can sometimes be life-threatening.

“When this happens, parents must be prepared to drop everything. The child is urgently admitted to hospital to receive antibiotics for up to seven days, to get on top of any severe infections quickly.”

But research led by Dr Bob Phillips - Senior Lecturer at The University of York and Honorary Consultant in Paediatric/Teenage-Young Adult Oncology at Leeds Children’s Hospital - and Dr Jess Morgan - Senior Research Fellow at The University of York and diatric oncology GRID trainee at Leeds Children’s Hospital - identified patterns in data.

This led them to determine which children with a temperature could safely be allowed home earlier.

The framework they produced has led to a change in national guidance in how fevers are treated for children with cancer and a global impact as far afield as Australia.

The Candlelighters spokesman said: “In instances where it is safe to send them home early, the average time a child will now be in hospital with a temperature is two days, with some able to leave after as little as eight hours.

“This change will make an enormous difference to children and families, easing mental health and financial burdens.”