When a child has cancer, the parents and siblings suffer with them every step of the way. Feelings of guilt, helplessness and despair are common. Leah had all the classic symptoms of leukaemia- tiredness, vulnerability to minor infections, and unexplained bruise-like marks on her body. Helen said: "She had no energy for anything, and she did seem to catch one infection after another so I was continually taking her to the doctors.

"She came out in bruises all over her leg which we thought was very strange. "I could tell by the doctor's face that she knew what it was. I thought it was perhaps glandular fever, but she said, no, could you take her to hospital now."

The diagnosis was reached by 9pm the same day. "My husband and I were absolutely devastated. Your whole world falls apart," said Helen. "You've got all this guilt as well, because you're thinking: 'How did she get it? Did we do something wrong?' The cancer was to be treated using chemotherapy - drugs which kill cancer cells.

In a way, the diagnosis was more frightening for Leah’s parents, as all they knew was that their daughter had an illness and that the treatment should make it better. “Just imagine having to sign forms to allow doctors to give the most important thing in your life, drugs that could kill her”. "You have to stay positive for her sake. You have to learn about chemotherapy and all these new drugs." Helen praises the consultants and other staff at St James Hospital, who gave the family a full run down of the types of drugs used, the possible side effects.

These managed to put the cancer into "remission", meaning there were no signs of it in tests. Helen said: "She copes extremely well. She has lost her hair - twice, and was obviously very tired, and did get the sickness and infections associated with such invasive treatment, but she is fantastic. She has her good days and some very bad days but she is my little hero, she battles on and her strength gives me and my husband strength"

“I am so lucky I have a good family, I sometimes imagine what it must be like for single parents or people with no family network, it must be so hard for them” The family coped with the illness by maintaining a positive attitude. "You have to think that your child is going to get better. I found it extremely upsetting to see all the other children coping with everything, and there were occasions when a particular child didn't make it through. That is what got to me. You could see the nurses coming along with this drug, and it was so poisonous they were wearing gloves, and this drug was being put into my child's body.” But, she says, the experience has changed her outlook on life: "It makes you wake up every day and be grateful.”