Leoś is only 5 months old❗Juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia❗

It all started with a runny nose.

At the end of January , Leosia developed a runny nose and symptoms of an upper respiratory tract infection. For the parents of a few-month-old baby, this was one of those moments that often occur in the first months of life and usually pass without major consequences.
However, out of concern for their son, they went to the hospital in Trzebnica, hoping for routine treatment and a quick return home.

An IV drip was administered and basic blood tests were performed. It was the results of the complete blood count that made it necessary to expand the diagnostics.
The blood parameters indicated very high leukocytosis, which did not decrease in subsequent follow-up tests. A repeated complete blood count with smear revealed the presence of blasts in the peripheral blood.

The doctors decided to urgently refer the boy to a specialist pediatric oncology center.

The hospital in Wrocław and further tests

Leoś was transported by medical transport to the "Przylądek Nadziei" Children's Oncology Center in Wrocław. Detailed diagnostics were immediately initiated, while simultaneously treating the infection that accompanied his hospitalization.

The boy was diagnosed with atypical pneumonia and started on antibiotic therapy. In the following days, his hemoglobin level began to drop rapidly, requiring a blood transfusion.

The series of tests took on a pace that was difficult for the parents to cope with. A puncture and abdominal ultrasound revealed an enlarged spleen. The doctors already knew that further answers were needed.

The bone marrow test results provided an answer.

At the beginning of February , bone marrow was collected for detailed analysis. This test was intended to resolve the doubts that had already arisen with the initial blood test results.

The parents waited for the results, hoping that the doctors' fears would not be confirmed. Each day of waiting seemed longer than the last, because everything that was to happen next depended on this answer.

In early March, doctors confirmed the diagnosis: juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia.

This is a rare and challenging type of childhood leukemia. With such a young patient, every treatment decision must be made with extreme caution. Leoś is currently receiving oral chemotherapy. Further tests are underway to determine whether more aggressive treatment, including a bone marrow transplant, will be necessary.

The family between home and hospital

Illness does not take age into account. It does not pause for a moment to allow parents to enjoy the first months of their child's life. Leoś is only five months old. Instead of peaceful mornings and first smiles, there is a hospital bed, tests, and constant vigilance.

The boy's mother is on maternity leave. However, she is not spending this time at home, but at her son's small hospital bed, watching the medical procedures and trying to stay calm when Leoś cries from exhaustion and pain.

At home, his 4.5-year-old brother Kajtek is waiting. For him, the world has also suddenly changed. His mother has disappeared from his everyday life, as has his younger brother, who had only just arrived in their home.
Dad is trying to maintain balance in this new reality. Work, caring for Kajtek, commuting to the hospital, supporting his wife. In such a situation, it is difficult to find a moment to breathe.

Treatment of a young patient

Leosia's parents are facing a time of uncertainty. They already know how serious their son's illness is, but they still don't know the whole path that lies ahead of them. The latest test results will show what treatment will be necessary to give Leosia a chance at health.