Leyland family "overwhelmed" by support after three-year-old is diagnosed with leukaemia

Little Darcie Tobutt, 3, is undergoing five weeks of intensive chemotherapy at Manchester Children’s Hospital after doctors discovered she had B - Cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia earlier this month.

It was only after mum Joanna took her to hospital after weeks of her being under the weather and given antibiotics for infections, that the truth about her illness was discovered.

Now a fundraiser has been set up to support mum Jo, dad Andy and big brother Louie by local activity group leader Andy Wilson, as Joanna will not be able to work at Booths in Penwortham while Darcie is in hospital. The total is currently more than £4,200.

To donate click here

Andy, of Activate with Andy, said: "It’s amazing how it’s blown up, I think we got over a grand in the first day.

"I just wanted to give the family a helping hand because Jo is going to be off work for some time, and money is the last thing they need to be thinking about.

“And they’re overwhelmed by the support they’ve been receiving, it’s incredible.”

Andy added: “A lot of parents who come to my classes know Darcie and Jo – she’s my highest attending child – she’s been over 200 times.

"She comes three times a week and Jo always helps us out, she’s a bit of an unofficial volunteer really.

"So because she’s always helping us, I wanted to do something to help them.”

He described Darcie as “very sassy” with “her own little attitude”.

He said: “The chemo is very intense, she’s had three or four lots already, they’re really hitting her hard to get rid of it, but the prognosis is good.

"Even though it’s obviously taking it’s toll on her, Jo says that she’s still herself – still sassy!”

What is leukaemia?

Leukaemia is a type of blood cancer that affects blood cells in your bone marrow – usually white blood cells.

Bone marrow is a spongy tissue found inside some of your bones, and it’s where the body makes blood cells. In leukaemia, blood cells are not produced the way they should be – you may have too many, too few, or blood cells that don't work properly.