Parents thought baby had 'ordinary cold' before 'fast

Melody with her dad (Image: Cancer Support UK/SWNS)

A family was devastated after a baby's 'ordinary cold' turned out to be a rare blood cancer. Four-month-old Melody developed what seemed like a cold in April.

But when her breathing became laboured and she struggled to feed, parents Rachel-Elizabeth Hewitt and Kevin Aggett rushed her to hospital. Within hours, doctors revealed that Melody had acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) - a rare and fast-developing blood cancer.

She was immediately transferred to paediatric intensive care in Southampton, where she began emergency treatment, including chemotherapy, blood and platelet transfusions. Later, she was transferred to Great Ormond Street Hospital for a bone marrow transplant and where she is receiving treatment.

Despite undergoing intense