4-year-old Josh Stockhill is one of the toughest kids that have ever lived and he is proving every hater wrong.
Most of us would give up in life if we find out that we have cancer, but this kid did not and ended up beating leukemia not once, but twice!
If that is still not enough for you, he beat the cancer’s bum and is currently attending his classes for the first time ever!
However the journey has not been easy, says the mother of Josh.
Kirsty Knighton, the mother of Josh, said that there were times that she thought she would never see her little son in the uniform of school after he was diagnosed with acute nymphoblastic leukemia.
Josh was just 8 when they found out.
Upon diagnosis, the parents of Josh were told that he might not make it through the night, however, the kid made it through.
At the age of 8 months old, Josh started chemotherapy for 9 strai9ght months.
The parents of Josh, Kirsty, 36, and Craig Stockhill, 40, were dealt another when they were told Josh had relapsed at just two years old.
Recent times initially left the parents thinking that their dreams of sending the kid to school may have to be placed on hold.
However, on September 16, 2020, Josh defied the odds to start his first day at Leighton Primary School in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire.
Kirsty, who works at Ikea, said that she got emotional when she saw their kid trying on the uniform of the school.
During an interview with LADbible, Kirsty said:
I got so emotional when he tried the uniform on. We have seen so many children who have not made it through our journey – we are so thankful Josh has this chance. He went in on Tuesday to see his new classroom and meet his teacher, and he’s so excited to start properly.
During the Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, Kirsty is urging more people to go out and donate blood when they can.
Kirsty said that a crucial cord blood donation saved the life of Josh.
Josh, who has 3 older brothers and 1 younger brother, was diagnosed with cancer when he was just learning how to craw.
Talking about the first diagnosis of Josh, Kirsty said that there were bruising on the body of Josh despite him not moving around that much.
She explained:
We started noticing him coming out in bruising, which we thought was a bit strange as he wasn’t even moving about at that point. We took him to the doctor, who sent us to Peterborough City Hospital for a blood test. They told us they suspected leukaemia, and they sent us to Addenbrookes Hospital at 8pm that same evening, where we were told he had infantile acute nymphoblastic leukemia. We were devastated. We were absolutely floored by it. We never, ever thought it would be that.
Josh began chemotherapy treatment and it was just supposed to last 6 months.
He also underwent of 18 months of less intensive maintenance treatment at their house.
The chemotherapy of Josh went bad too.
1 month into chemo, Josh developed sepsis and was placed in intensive care unit.
Kirsty said:
We were told that there was a 50/50 chance he would make it through the night. We almost lost him at nine months old.
In May 2018, Kirsty and Craig were told by the doctors that the cancer in their child had returned.
This time, the doctors said that he would need a bone marrow transplant so he would survive.
Zach, the 7-year-old brother of Josh, was tested as a bone marrow match, however, it was found that he was not compatible.
The good thing is that the Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge found a ten out of ten matches for a brain marrow donation for Josh, from a patient in Spain.
After a successful, surgery, Josh is doing well.
Kirsty said:
We mark every milestone, and with each one he is getting better and better. He will be on medication for life, and under consultation for life, because of how severe his leukaemia was. We don’t know what the future holds for him. But he’s such a jolly child. He’s so excited to start school.
Such an amazing thing to know about right now!
Kirsty has urged other people to consider a donation, especially cord blood, which saved the life of her blood.
Cord blood is the blood that remains in the placenta and in the attached umbilical cord after birth.
Talking about the blood, Kirsty said:
It was a cord blood donation from Spain that saved him. Some hospitals keep it, some don’t, but it can be a real life saver. It is so, so important – if you ever get the chance to donate, please do.
Josh is doing well right now.
Good luck with your future young star, you will do well!