A mother from Solihull has described her family's heartbreak as her young son faces spending a third Christmas in hospital following a devastating second relapse of an aggressive cancer.
A Mother's Instinct and a Shocking Diagnosis
Shaunna Bourne's world changed in December 2022 when she noticed unexplained rashes and bruises on the body of her two-year-old son, Marley. After a course of antibiotics from his GP failed to work, her concerns grew. By Boxing Day that year, Marley's condition had deteriorated so much he could no longer bear weight on his legs.
Rushed to A&E from their home in Chelmsley Wood, Shaunna and Marley endured an anxious overnight wait for blood test results. Those results led to an immediate admission to the oncology ward at Birmingham Children's Hospital. Just three days later, on December 29, the family received the crushing news: Marley had Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML), a rare and aggressive cancer of the blood and bone marrow.
A Gruelling Journey of Treatment and Setbacks
Marley, now five, began intensive chemotherapy within weeks. After five months of treatment, the family celebrated the joyous news that he was in remission. However, their relief was short-lived. A routine check-up ten months later revealed falling platelet levels – Marley's leukaemia had returned.
"It was devastating," Shaunna said. "Marley was only three at the time and it had been a lot to go through from the initial diagnosis to treatment and then finding out it had come back." A second, more intensive round of chemotherapy followed, culminating in a stem cell transplant in July of last year. Remarkably, nine weeks later, Marley rang the remission bell for a second time and was discharged in time for his fourth birthday.
Tragically, the family's hope was shattered again in March of this year. A call from Marley's consultant brought them back to hospital, where tests confirmed cancer cells were present in his bone marrow once more. By June 2025, Marley had officially relapsed for a second time.
Finding Festive Spirit in a Hospital Room
Marley has since undergone another brutal round of chemotherapy and a second stem cell transplant. This time, the side effects have been severe, including painful blistering across his body. By mid-November, it was clear he would be too poorly to leave hospital, with his immune system critically weakened.
This Christmas, Shaunna, her husband James, and their 11-year-old daughter Ava will create a festive atmosphere in Marley's hospital room. "We'll just make the best of it," Shaunna said. "Of course, it's not where we want to be, but if giving up this Christmas means Marley has the chance to see more Christmases, that's what we'll do."
She praised the efforts of Birmingham Children's Hospital Charity for transforming the wards. "There's decorations across the wards, a grotto for patients, and we've had special visitors including Santa and local football clubs. It's made the world of difference for Marley and I'm so grateful."
Annie Eytle, Head of Public Fundraising at the charity, said: "We're on a mission to make Christmas as magical as possible for our patients, especially those like Marley, who are too poorly to be at home where they want to be." She added that public donations are vital to continuing this support for brave families.
