Child's illness originally believed to be a stomach bug by father proves to be cancer; family is heartbroken as the delicate condition of the child prevents him from attending nursery, lest he catch any germs.
Laura Lineker, a solicitor from Seaford, East Sussex, is currently facing a difficult time as her fiancé Mathew Rutherford battles acute myeloid leukemia (AML). A type of blood cancer that affects the immune system's white blood cells, AML is usually caused by previous chemotherapy, exposure to radiation, or smoking. It affects around 3,100 people each year in the UK, and 2,700 people die from it annually.
Mathew's journey began when he fell ill with symptoms including paleness, concerning tiredness or weakness, feeling breathless for no reason, getting regular infections, unexplained weight loss, and unexplained bleeding and/or bruising. Initially, Laura thought it was a simple bug that Marnie, their younger daughter, had passed on to Mathew.
However, Mathew's symptoms became unbearable, and he was eventually driven to Eastbourne District General Hospital by Laura. Unfortunately, Mathew is neutropenic, meaning he has no immune system, which makes him particularly vulnerable to infections. This was further complicated when a hand, foot, and mouth disease outbreak at their children's nursery prevented Laura from visiting Mathew.
Mathew's illness didn't stop there. He also had sepsis, caused by an abscess, and had to go on antibiotics due to a gum infection. The exact time of Mathew's AML diagnosis is not publicly available.
The family's struggle has not gone unnoticed, and a GoFundMe has been set up to help them cover necessities during this disruption to their work. The children, Marnie and Freddie, are finding it hard to cope with Mathew's hospitalization. Freddie, the older child, is asking why Mathew can't come home and is waking up at night asking for him. Marnie, the younger child, is emotional and clingy.
Mathew started chemotherapy on August 7. He was initially told to take paracetamol and go to A&E if he wasn't feeling better the next day, but his condition worsened, leading to his diagnosis. If Laura contracts hand, foot, and mouth disease, it could potentially be fatal for Mathew, due to his weakened immune system.
The family's story serves as a reminder of the challenges that families face when dealing with life-threatening illnesses. Our thoughts are with them during this difficult time.
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