A 20-year-old student diagnosed with leukemia at age 13 reimburses the NHS £ 150,000 for a life-saving surgery.



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A cancer survivor diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia at the age of 13 has reimbursed the NHS for the full cost of his bone marrow transplant that saved his life, or £ 150,000.

Andrew Davies, 20, was only 13 years old when he was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in September 2012.

    Andrew was only 13 years old when he was diagnosed with cancer

SWNS: South West News Service

Andrew was only 13 years old when he was diagnosed with cancer

The teenager, supported by her parents Alison Davies, 53, Paul Davies, 61, and her brother James Davies, 21, started chemotherapy, which caused illness, hair loss, bleeding, and bruising.

He had a bone marrow transplant in January 2013 and spent 25 days in isolation.

Driven by his gratitude for the care received and eager to help other people in a similar position, Andrew is committed to increasing the cost of his bone marrow transplant, which saves lives. , at the NHS.

However, when Andrew asked nurse Julie of the Sheffield Children's Hospital how much the transplant would cost, her mother Alison "almost started to choke".

    He is committed to reimbursing the cost of his bone marrow treatment at the NHS

SWNS: South West News Service

He is committed to reimbursing the cost of his bone marrow treatment at the NHS

Andrew said, "She told me that my operation would cost £ 150,000 to the NHS – it was at that point that I knew what I had to do.

"I had to pay them back."

Determined, Andrew has now reached the incredible target six years later – it will be evenly split between Leukemia Research and the Sheffield Children's Hospital Cancer Service.

She told me that my operation would cost £ 150,000 to the NHS. It was at that moment that I knew what I had to do. I had to pay them back.

Andrew Davies20

His fundraising activities include cycling from one cycle to the next with his brother James of Liverpool at Skegness and walking Dales Way.

Andrew said: "I have received fantastic support from so many people.

"Friends and family ran marathons, organized gala balls and raised funds instead of gifts.

"It was amazing"

    Andrew, photographed with hospital staff who helped him while he was a teenager

SWNS: South West News Service

Andrew, photographed with hospital staff who helped him while he was a teenager

The form of Andrew's cancer was due to the rapid growth of abnormal white blood cells in the bone marrow and blood.

This horrible diagnosis was only a few months after she was a teenager in September 2012, and after a month her worried friends and family started raising money for a charity.

Andrew, currently studying sports science at John Moore University in Liverpool, said that he had begun to feel bad in the summer of 2012 after practicing a sport.

    Andrew was just a teenager when he was diagnosed

SWNS: South West News Service

Andrew was just a teenager when he was diagnosed

He said: "I started getting very tired and lethargic and I did not really know what was wrong.

"My mother told me that I should have a blood test before my return to school, so I did it in September.

"We received a call an hour later, which seemed really unusual.

"They told me that I had to come immediately to the hospital."

What is leukemia?

Leukemia is a type of blood cancer that affects bone marrow cells and attacks the immune system.

In most cases of leukemia, there is no obvious cause.

It is a cancer that causes too much abnormal white blood cells in the body, which means the body is less likely to defend against infection.

These blood cells are not fully developed and are called leukemia cells.

The disease is often clbadified according to the type of affected cell (myeloid or lymphatic) and its evolution (acute or chronic).

There are no specific signs or symptoms allowing a doctor to make a diagnosis without laboratory tests.

In all types of leukemia, symptoms are more often caused by a lack of normal blood cells than by the presence of abnormal white blood cells.

When the bone marrow fills with leukemia cells, it is unable to produce the large number of normal blood cells that the body needs.

This can lead to: anemia, weakness and fatigue, more frequent infections, fever, bleeding and bruising

There are four main types of leukemia.

  • Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL) – A form of the disease that is changing rapidly. More common in children.
  • Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) – Rapidly progressive. More common in adults.
  • Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) – a slow-growing, more common form in adults.
  • Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) – It progresses slowly and is more common in adults

Andrew was transported from the Royal Chesterfield Hospital to Sheffield Children's Hospital, where he underwent several blood tests and several tests.

Barely two days later, his family received the terrible news of his leukemia and had to start three exhausting chemotherapy sessions.

In January 2013, a donor became available and Andrew was operated on – before being kept in solitary confinement at the Sheffield Children's Hospital during a creepy 25-day period.

Andrew had to take anti-rejection drugs and could only have very limited contact with his family and friends.

    Staff will divide Andrew's gift between two charitable organizations

SWNS: South West News Service

Staff will divide Andrew's gift between two charitable organizations

After leaving the hospital, Andrew spent two months recovering at home, where he was practically confined to the house, with the exception of his "stealthy outing" to play badminton with his mother Alison.

He added, "I loved it, it was a mental and physical thing."

Andrew valiantly fought cancer throughout his teenage years and has been in remission for more than three years.

    Andrew was very sick as a kid

SWNS: South West News Service

Andrew was very sick as a kid

The Children's Hospital charity has launched a £ 2.75 million appeal to transform the cancer and leukemia department at Sheffield Children's Hospital, with more space, more space and more money. 39, privacy and natural light.

Andrew added, "I am pleased that my fundraising is contributing to the new call and ensuring that the facilities match the excellent care of the room.

"The Sheffield Children's Hospital is a phenomenal place and I really do not know what happened if I had not been treated, which is a scary thought."

Andrew's incredible efforts will make a huge difference for young patients from across the region and as far south as Northampton, who depend on the incredible care provided by the service.

Cheryl DavidsonCommunity Fundraising Manager

The transformed hall of the hospital would create private patient rooms with en suite bathrooms, offering patients a place to create their own space and a space to allow a parent to sleep comfortably by their side.

Andrew added, "I was a teenager, but a member of my family stayed by my side almost every night at the hospital."

    Andrew, described as a schoolboy

SWNS: South West News Service

Andrew, described as a schoolboy

He added: "It was really comforting to have this option, even at this age.

"The space for them to stay comfortably near their child in the room will make a huge difference."

Cheryl Davidson, head of community fundraising, added, "Andrew's incredible efforts will make a huge difference for young patients from across the region and as far south as Northampton, who depend on the incredible care provided by the ward. . "

We recently told you how a mother who was diagnosed with bad cancer had revealed that Deborah James, of the Sun, had saved her life when she was talking about her experience of bowel cancer in Lorraine.

Earlier this month, a bad cancer survivor said that she had found herself with bads that "felt death" after the scars of a bullet that she was starting to rot.

A brave bad cancer survivor chose an almost certain death, so she did not need to abort her baby when he came back during pregnancy.

A brave bad cancer survivor chose almost certain death, so she did not need to abort her baby when he came back during pregnancy

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