12 hours Ago By Isabel Shaw
WHEN Laura Coleman-Day’s husband started feeling unwell in early 2022, they assumed it was a string of viruses picked up at their son’s nursery. “He kept catching bugs and had really bad night sweats, but we just thought it was normal,” Laura, 33, said, speaking about Xander. 5 Laura thought her husband Xander was picking up nursery bugs from their son (all pictured) Credit: Cover Images 5 The dad was suffering from really bad night sweats Credit: Cover Images 5 Blood tests revealed he had acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, an aggressive form of cancer Credit: Cover Images “So I told him: ‘Either stop moaning or go to a doctor.
’" The GP couldn’t pinpoint the issue but referred him for blood tests . Later that evening, the couple, from Witham St Hughs, in Lincolnshire, were urgently directed to A&E , where it was revealed that Xander’s white blood cell count was alarmingly high. Xander, an otherwise fit and active RAF aerospace battle manager, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia , an aggressive form of blood cancer .
Read more on leukaemia CANCER CLUES Mum shares two secret signs her son had leukaemia - one was in his lunch box POPPY STAR Our Poppy, 5, is battling leukaemia - please help Sun bring cheer to sick kids “It was a massive shock,” Laura said. The couple had no chance to process what had happened before he began emergency chemotherapy in mid-2022. Further tests revealed that Xander carried the Philadelphia chromosome, a genetic anomaly that meant his best chance of survival would be a stem cell transplant .
By December 2022, he was declared cancer-free. Most read in Health MAN ALIVE! Men's health strategy will urge blokes to 'use NHS properly' to cut early deaths HOTSPOT Inside Scots area plagued with deadly disease 5 times worse than WORLD average HORROR DISCOVERY Teen who suffered ‘appendicitis symptoms’ was actually full of pinworms BUG BEAR Common bug could fuel bowel cancer in the young - experts pinpoint those at risk But as a precaution, he went ahead with the transplant in January 2023 to reduce the risk of relapse. “He was still really poorly,” Laura recalled, remembering how her family spent Christmas on their own.
The signs and symptoms of cancer “[We] were isolating in readiness for him to go back into the hospital for the stem cell transplant. It felt like [we] were back in Covid," she added. Despite no signs of disease, they knew they weren’t out of the woods.
“It was good news,” she said. “But they thought it was just one step in what was going to be a long road to recovery.” By June 2023, Xander once again felt very ill.
“He developed graft-versus-host disease,” Laura recalled. “His liver deteriorated, and his kidneys failed. It was heartbreaking.
” In February 2024, the couple learned that there were no further treatment options. “Xander was young, fit, and healthy,” Laura said. “He’d never smoked, rarely drank, and now he would need palliative care.
” Just hours after being discharged from hospital, Xander died, aged just 36. The symptoms of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) is a type of blood cancer that starts in the bone marrow, where white blood cells called lymphocytes are produced. Although it is most common in children, ALL can affect adults as well.
Symptoms often overlap with other conditions, making diagnosis challenging. For adults, common symptoms include: Fatigue or weakness – Feeling extremely tired or weak due to low red blood cell counts (anemia) Flu-like symptoms – A combination of fever, chills, and aches that resemble a common illness High temperature (fever) – Often persistent without a clear cause Frequent infections – Due to a weakened immune system from low white blood cell counts Easy bruising and bleeding – Increased tendency to bruise or bleed, even from minor cuts Unexplained weight loss – Sudden and unexplained loss of body weight Swollen lymph nodes – Lymph nodes may swell, especially in the neck, armpits, or groin Bone or joint pain – Pain in the bones or joints as leukaemia cells infiltrate the bone marrow Shortness of breath – Difficulty breathing, often caused by anemia or other complications Feeling full – A sensation of fullness due to an enlarged spleen or liver Pale or washed-out appearance – A pale complexion due to anemia In some cases, patients may develop a rash that appears as tiny red, purple, or brown dots (petechiae) that don’t turn white when pressed. Survival rates While survival rates are generally higher for children, adult survival rates vary based on age, overall health, and the specific treatment regimen.
Treatment advances have improved outcomes, but ALL in adults can be more challenging to treat compared to in children. Source: Cancer Research UK “[We] fought all day to get him home,” Laura said. “And he passed away two or three hours later.
He was where he wanted to be. He fought so hard.” “You read about things like this happening to other families, and you think, ‘That’ll never be us,’” she added.
“But then one day, it was. It was impossible to wrap their heads around.” Determined to honour his memory, Laura set herself a challenge in March 2024, to run 12 marathons in 12 months.
“It was ridiculous,” she laughed. “Xander would have been telling me I was completely bonkers - and he wouldn’t have been wrong.” 5 Laura running 12 marathons in 12 months in her late husband's memory Credit: Cover Images Through her challenge, she raised thousands for Anthony Nolan, the charity that helped find a donor.
“He would have been so proud of what I did,” Laura said. “Not just the running, but the awareness, the fundraising, just keeping going through the hardest year of my life.” Now, Laura faces life as a single parent.
“Amos was two when his dad died,” she said. “He’s three now. He was my reason for everything.
I’ve told people honestly: if it weren’t for Amos, I wouldn’t still be here.” Saving other 'mummies and daddies' She trained at night while Amos slept, pounding the treadmill long after bedtime “He’s the most wonderful little boy," she said. "So like his dad in temperament, mannerisms, and he's the spitting image of him, so that that keeps me going.
” On April 21, 2025 - the date that would have marked their sixth wedding anniversary - Laura ran her 13th marathon: the London Marathon, wearing her wedding dress. Laura had raised over £14,000 to “help save future mummies and daddies.” Read more on the Scottish Sun LOVE IT The £10 Home Bargains buy that instantly gives your front door summer love vibes Brand Bust Love Islander resigns from fashion brand with £139k debt as prices are slashed Pascale Harvie, President and General Manager of JustGiving, praised her efforts.
“Laura’s incredible 12 marathons in 12 months challenge was a remarkable display of her strength and determination,” she said. 5 Just hours after being discharged from hospital, Xander died, aged just 36 Credit: Cover Images.
