Westhoughton 5-year-old diagnosed with leukaemia

Pippa Judd was on holiday with her family in Lanzarote last year when mother Karen and father Warren began to notice bruising and that she struggled to walk.

She was seen by a doctor there and it was believed to be a viral infection.

But when she went back to St Bartholomew’s CE Primary School  her health problems persisted.

She would have energy at school but would return home exhausted.

Karen went to pick her up one day and said she looked “like a ghost".

A blood test showed she had lost half the normal amount of blood in her body and she was taken to the Royal Bolton Hospital.

The family were told it was looking likely that she had leukaemia, which was later confirmed in a diagnosis. 

The youngster was transferred to the Royal Bolton Hospital and later to the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital where she remained until November.

Now she undergoes daily chemotherapy which is set to end in November 2025.

Due to neutrophils being low she is limited in where she can go as her immune system is weakened.

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Her mother Karen has praised her courage.

She said: “She is amazing, she is so brave.

“As adults we know about these things but at five you do not know anything.

“She lost her hair, she had lovely blonde hair, but she never moaned about it."

Karen also heaped praise on the school.

She said: “She goes to St Bartholomew's, they have been absolutely amazing.

“The headmaster Mr Johns has not let her miss anything, he came round here at Christmas.

“The children at school had a Santa, and he also came round with one.

"The parents and pupils have also been great, they came round at Christmas and did a carol service in the front garden for Pippa to watch through the front window.

“The hospital in Manchester have been amazing.

“She stays on ward 86 when she is there with other children.

“The school raised just under £500 on behalf of Pippa from a cake sale which we presented to them on ward 86."

Karen also warned of the symptoms of the condition for other parents to look out for.

She said: “The main things are bruising and just a lack of energy and also sweats in the night, and also pale skin, repeated infections over a short space of time and unusual and frequent bleeding."

A fundraiser has also been launched to fund a holiday in 2025 when the chemotherapy finishes. It can be supported here.