Parents given devastating diagnosis for newborn daughter after discovering rare purple spots on her body
Rhianna Benson
Featured Image Credit: SWNS
In 2018, couple Kerri Paton and Igor Topas welcomed their newborn daughter into the world.
Within hours of Kerri giving birth to their little girl - who they'd named Amelia - however, a midwife noticed the tiny tot exhibiting some rather odd-looking, purple blemishes on her skin.
It was only until the hospital staff gave the 6lb 12oz infant a full assessment - which included an ultrasound, lumbar puncture and an MRI scan - that her parents were able to gauge the full extent to their daughter's ailment.
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Just hours into what started as the happiest day of their lives, the couple were informed that their baby girl was suffering with two types of cancer, lymphoblastic leukaemia and acute myeloid leukaemia.
"Once she was in my arms I just cried," Aberdeen-born supermarket worker Kerri recalled. "I was so happy. I didn't notice anything. The midwife noticed the spots all over her and went to get a doctor.
"I was told it could be one of three things. It could be birthmarks, something wrong with her liver or blueberry muffin syndrome which could be linked to leukaemia. I was quite upset.
"When we found out she had two types of cancer - it was awful."
Just three weeks after being welcomed into the world, 21-day-old Amelia began a course of chemotherapy to get rid of the acute myeloid leukaemia before undergoing a bone marrow transplant.
"She was so little and tormented and going purple from crying," Kerri said. "After the first round of chemotherapy the lumps and spots were gone."
Eight months later, the parents were told that Amelia was now in remission and considered cancer free.
It was around this time that the toddler's little brother, Oscar, was welcomed into the world, with Kerri and Igor hoping a new addition would restore some sense of normality.
Within months of Oscar's arrival, however, Amelia's parents were told that she'd relapsed in acute myeloid leukaemia.
"Igor was on the way with Amelia and I had a phone call to say 'I think best you can come in as well'," Kerry explains.
"I just knew it had come back."
Ameila went through another round of chemotherapy, as well as a stem cell transplant from an umbilical cord that had been transported from the US.
Thankfully, the transplant was deemed successful, and Amelia made an incredible recovery.
"Watching your kid sick - it was horrible," Kerri says. "It [the transplant] went smooth sailing."
Now, Amelia is living her best life as a happy and healthy six-year-old.
"She's slightly delayed. She's slightly delayed in her speech," Kerri says, adding: "She's just so funny. She's fiercely independent. She's very strong-willed. She looks like a normal child now.
"We got quite lucky that she was so young. She's so young she won't remember. "Even though she went through cancer, her story doesn't end there."