Hope for Marnie – five-year-old receives stem cell transplant following devastating cancer diagnosis
When little Marnie complained of recurring stomach pains and toothache, her mum’s instinct was to visit her doctor.
Laura, from Dudley, took the youngster to see her doctor and which eventually led to the devastating news that Marnie had Burkitt’s Lymphoma, a type of fast-growing non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
She explained: “Marnie complained about a belly ache and toothache. I knew something wasn’t right. She was in lots of pain and it didn’t go away.”
Marnie was under the care of the specialist cancer centre at our Children’s Hospital where her mum praised the staff.
Laura shared: “We were just in floods of tears. It was so daunting walking into a cancer ward, seeing so many poorly children and knowing this was the world we were walking into.
“But the staff on the ward were so lovely and our consultant Dr Millen was honest with us and told us what was going to happen and what to expect.”
Marnie stayed in hospital for many months, undergoing intensive chemotherapy treatment before receiving the all-clear in June 2025.
Laura explained: “We were so happy to be back home and getting back to normal. Marnie’s hair was even growing back.
“However, she had crippling tummy pain again in August and we rushed her back to hospital.”
After being admitted back to the ward, Laura was told the news that the youngster had relapsed.
She underwent further treatment before receiving a stem cell transplant in January this year.
Laura shared: “She is doing really well post-transplant. There have been bumps in the road with some infections, but she is recovering well and is returning to her cheeky, sassy self.
“Thank you to the doctors and nurses on the ward who have bent over backwards for us and been an amazing support.
“We are now back home and we’re really proud of how well Marnie has done.”
Dr Gerard Millen, Consultant Paediatric Oncologist, said: “From when I first met Marnie, it was clear that she has incredible spirit and this has really helped her fight through these challenging times. It is great that she is through her transplant now and continues with her recovery.”