Father's Warning After Son's Back Pain Led to Leukaemia Diagnosis
A father is urging parents to take their children's symptoms seriously after his son's complaints of back pain and tiredness were diagnosed as a rare and high-risk form of leukaemia within a single day. Stephen McAlley, a 43-year-old operations manager from Warrington, initially dismissed his 12-year-old son Ollie's symptoms as mere flu, telling him to "stop moaning" and "man up." It was only due to the insistence of his wife Kirsty, a nurse, that Ollie was taken to a GP in February 2025.
Rapid Diagnosis and Immediate Treatment
Within hours of the GP visit, Ollie was rushed to Warrington Hospital, where blood tests revealed blast cells "through the roof," indicating leukaemia. By the next day, he began chemotherapy at Alder Hey Children's Hospital. Stephen recounted the moment doctors confirmed the diagnosis, describing it as "complete confusion, panic, and I was scared to death." Ollie was later diagnosed with High-Risk Philadelphia Positive ALL, a rare type of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
The family's ordeal began in December 2024 during a Christmas holiday in New York City, where Ollie appeared "fluey" and struggled to move around. A visit to a local GP resulted in a costly Covid test and basic medication, but no alarm was raised. Back in the UK in January 2025, Ollie continued to complain of fatigue and back pain, with episodes so severe he screamed during a cinema outing and at home.
Turning Point and Ongoing Battle
A key moment came during a football game in February 2025, where Stephen, coaching Ollie's team, dismissed his son's pain. However, another parent noted Ollie's paleness, prompting Kirsty to schedule a GP appointment. The junior doctor trusted her instincts and referred them for immediate tests, leading to the swift diagnosis. Stephen emphasized, "Take your kids to the GP. If you think that there's something going on, take them because I wouldn't have done, if it wasn't for my wife."
Ollie's treatment has been intensive, involving multiple rounds of chemotherapy and immunotherapy that "completely nuked everything in his whole body." Currently, his cancer is at an undetectable level, but he faces regular testing until April 2027 as part of a 25-month plan. There is a possibility he may need a stem cell transplant in the future, which has motivated Stephen to support the charity Anthony Nolan.
Inspiring Action and Raising Awareness
Stephen has signed up to run the London Marathon on April 26 to raise funds and awareness for Anthony Nolan, a stem cell transplant charity. He previously donated stem cells twice for another individual, an experience that deepened his commitment. "Loads of people that we know – friends and family – have already signed up, which has been amazing for us," he said, noting that increasing donor registrations is a positive outcome from Ollie's diagnosis.
Throughout the ordeal, Ollie has shown remarkable resilience, taking the news "in his stride" despite the brutal treatment. Stephen and Kirsty are determined to continue "banging the drum" about leukaemia warning signs and the importance of charities like Anthony Nolan. As Stephen prepares for the marathon, with Ollie eager to cheer him on, the family hopes their story will encourage others to act on concerns and support vital cancer research and donor initiatives.
