A three-year-old boy from Glasgow has been diagnosed with leukaemia after developing a limp. Armaan Waqas, from Glasgow, was in and out of hospital and underwent repeated tests for several months after he developed the limp in December.
Even after he fell and broke his leg earlier this year, his mum Ayesha was assured nothing was wrong. But after doctors carried out an analysis of Armaan's blood, the family were called back into hospital and told he had leukaemia.
Diagnosis and treatment
Ayesha told Glasgow Live: “They had told us they wanted to take more blood, so I didn’t think there was anything serious although I was getting concerned because he wasn’t getting any better. Then when we got to the hospital they told us we couldn’t leave as the doctors were concerned about what the blood tests had shown. Then they took a sample of his bone marrow and it came back showing he had leukaemia.”
Armaan, the second youngest of eight children, started chemotherapy immediately. His first block of treatment lasted 11 weeks, during which he was in hospital the whole time. He had seizures as a result of the treatment and was in the children’s intensive care unit.
Recovery at home
Armaan is now recovering at home. Ayesha said he had been amazing throughout the ordeal and is showing great signs of recovery. She said: “It’s been so good to see after such a long time being so unwell that he’s just running around and playing with his siblings. Some of his brothers and sisters are quite young and don’t really know what’s going on so they’re just happy to have him back home to play with.”
Ayesha praised the support from staff at the specialist Schiehallion ward at Glasgow Children’s Hospital and from the local community in Thornliebank, where her husband Waqas, 39, runs a local shop.
Fundraising appeal
Friends have set up Armaan’s Army and are planning to take part in Edinburgh’s Kiltwalk later this year to raise money for the hospital unit. The appeal was set up by friend Caroline Myler, who said: “Our wee pal Armaan was recently diagnosed with leukaemia. It shattered his family and friends but we became a support squad for him and the family. He is currently receiving the most amazing care support and treatment from all the doctors, nurses and everyone else involved with the Schiehallion ward at Glasgow's Children's Hospital. So in September a group of us will be doing the kiltwalk to raise money and awareness for this amazing ward as a small gesture of thanks to them all.”
They have already raised more than £1200, and Ayesha is hopeful Armaan will be well enough to take part as well. She said: “It would just be the small walk, but it would be great if he could go. The staff and doctors and nurses there have been amazing, and Armaan doesn’t think of it as going to the hospital, he treats it like he’s going to see friends, and that’s been an amazing help.”
