A photo of a newborn baby girl in the arms of her dying brother is breaking hearts worldwide.
Before dying of cancer, nine-year-old Bailey Cooper of Bristol, England became a big brother.
His mum Rachel Cooper, 28, gave birth to her third child just weeks before losing her eldest son on Christmas eve.
Dying brother meets new-born sister
“Bailey was absolutely besotted with meeting her,” Bailey’s dad, Lee Cooper told Inside Edition in an interview. “They would have been best friends as well as siblings, and would have been inseparable.”
On the day before he died, the dying brother spent time to show his love for his little sister, the same way he dotes on his baby brother.
“Bailey was smitten with Millie and done everything he could in his three short weeks with her,” his dad said.
In the short time that they were together, Bailey fed her, changed her diapers, sang her to sleep, and cuddled her until he was no longer physically strong enough to do so.
Image source: Cooper family/SWNS
Bailey was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma shortly before his mum found out she was pregnant
Bailey was first diagnosed with stage 3 non-Hodgkin lymphoma back in mid-2016. Though he went through remission twice, doctors observed that the cancer had come back in August 2017.
“At the time of the pregnancy, my wife and I and his doctors didn’t think Bailey would be around to meet his baby sister,” Bailey’s dad recalled.
The brave boy even told his parents that they were only allowed to “cry for 20 minutes” shortly before he passed away.
Our hearts go out to Bailey’s family. May they find peace and strength during this difficult time.
The dying brother showed his love for his two younger siblings before cancer took his life (Image source: Rachel Louise Cooper)
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma in kids: Signs parents should know
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is a type of cancer that strikes the lymphatic system, which is the part of our bodies that wards off disease and infections. It causes tumours to grow and can affect other tissues and organs.
Sadly, non-Hodgkin lymphoma in children often shows no signs of infection. It often spreads quickly, and in many cases is only diagnosed when the child is already in stage 3 or 4.
There are certain signs and symptoms to watch out for, though they may not appear all at once or in the same way:
- Lymph node pain (neck, chest, underarm, or groin)
- Abdominal mass and pain
- Fever
- Constipation
- Decreased appetite
- Sudden weight loss
- Wheezing or difficulty breathing
- Bluish discoloration of the head and arms
- Sore throat
- Night sweats
- Pain in the bones and joints
- Easily tired
- Itching of the skin
- Persistent and frequent infections
If you have any concerns about any of the signs and symptoms mentioned above, don’t hesitate to consult your child’s paediatrician as soon as possible.
Sources: Inside Edition, Yahoo, Stanford Children’s Hospital
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