When Nikki Knight’s four-year-old son, Toby, began suffering with fatigue and a fever, she put it down to Covid. Her husband, Ollie, 41, had recently caught the virus, so it seemed to be the most obvious explanation. But Toby’s health continued to deteriorate. Her energetic son who loved dinosaurs and playing with his older sister, Sophie, now 12, began falling asleep at pre-school, and when he developed a rash that wouldn’t fade, Nikki, 39, took him to A&E.
But it was at hospital when Nikki’s world turned upside down, and she told her little boy had leukaemia. And now, with the festive season in full swing, Toby is embarking on a course of gruelling treatment, which will mean he spends Christmas Day in isolation at Great Ormond Street Hospital.
It was New Years Eve 2021 when Toby’s parents noticed he was becoming unwell. After initially suspecting Covid, Nikki grew concerned when her son’s condition didn’t improve. ‘In early February he was sent home from nursery with a temperature. I then noticedwhat appeared to be a red meningitis-type rash on his thigh that didn’t fade.’.
At hospital, medics sent Toby for an X-ray and ordered extensive blood tests. Covid restrictions meant only one parent was allowed to be with Toby in hospital, so Nikki was alone when she was dealt the devastating news. Blogger Nikki says: ‘As soon as I saw the looks on the doctor’s face, I knew something was terribly wrong. I was told all signs were pointing towards leukaemia.
