Michigan mum says life was "forever altered" after son diagnosed with rare acute leukaemia

A mum has spoken of her shock and heartbreak after her young baby was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer.

Ashley Beauregard, 33, noticed that her son Aiden started teething while on a family holiday. The eight-month-old was also being fussy, The Sun reported.

But he soon began to look pale, she took her son into hospital, where it was found that Aiden had developed acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. This is a rare blood and bone marrow cancer, with a genetic mutation that also increases the likelihood of a relapse.

Ashley, from Michigan, USA, said: "Aiden had been sick with a cough, extra fussy, and teething – we just assumed he was dealing with typical eight-month-old things. However, a couple of days after our trip to Pittsburgh in March 2022, I began to think his colouring was off.

"We went over to my parents to visit, and they also pointed out how pale he was. I called his paediatrician, and we got an appointment for the following day.

"His white blood count came back so high it was obvious he had leukaemia, and we were then in the hospital for 36 days. Life as we knew it was over. I felt absolute fear."

Now two years old, Aiden is in remission - but that sadly wasn't the end of his journey. Following a bone marrow transplant, Aiden experienced what is know as graft vs host disease. This is where the donated cells see the host's cells as foreign and start to attack them.

This has led to Aiden coming out in a full-body rash, with diarrhoea and stomach cramps.

Ashley said: "I'm so proud of my family for surviving this hell and finding ways to smile and laugh. Even though Aiden is still so happy and full of joy, he has been through more than anyone I know.

"He might not complain about things, but I think that's because he doesn't know any better. He understands things normal kids don't.

“He knows the steps to flush his central line, he knows which clinics he likes and doesn't like. This is all he's ever really known.

"Childhood cancer is our lives now. We will forever be altered."