A two-year-old girl's persistent meltdowns and extreme fatigue were initially attributed to the so-called 'terrible twos,' but a blood test revealed she had acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), a rare and fast-growing blood cancer. Her mother, Alicia Bridge, 27, from Freeport, Illinois, US, said she felt 'devastated and hopeless' after the diagnosis.
Symptoms dismissed as normal toddler behaviour
Alicia says Ada's symptoms began in November 2025, when she became 'really tired' and 'only wanted to lay down.' She stopped resisting naps, went to bed early even after daytime naps, and tired easily from simple activities. Ada also complained of leg pain, asking to be carried during grocery runs, whereas previously she would run around. During play dates, she preferred sitting on her mother's lap or lying on the ground instead of interacting with friends.
Ada also bruised easily, developing a large bruise on her head after a toy car hit her, which worsened after a second bump days later. Alicia noted her daughter's skin became 'so pale that she looked like she had a yellow tint to her.'
Meltdowns linked to bone pain
Alicia initially attributed Ada's irritability to her age and the arrival of a baby brother. However, the meltdowns were unusually intense. 'She would cry and scream for an hour and there wasn't anything that we could do to calm her down,' Alicia said. 'These meltdowns were typically before going to an activity like ballet or gymnastics and so I think she was experiencing bone pain and she knew going to something like this would cause her pain. She would have one of these meltdowns once a day.'
In December 2025, Alicia took Ada to a doctor concerned about the meltdowns and possible UTI. She was told Ada 'looked great' and the behaviour was age-appropriate. Two weeks later, alarmed by Ada's pallor, Alicia requested a blood test from a pediatrician. That day, she received a call telling her to go straight to hospital.
Diagnosis and treatment
'We went to the ER not knowing what we were getting into,' Alicia said. 'During that time, they took her blood and threw out the dreaded C-word. Ada's blood levels were dangerously low and she needed multiple blood and platelet transfusions.' The family spent the night in hospital and learned the next morning that Ada had ALL. She spent eight days in hospital before starting treatment, which includes six initial medications, steroids, chemotherapy, and transfusions.
The steroids caused extreme hunger, irritability, facial swelling, and muscle weakness so severe Ada could not walk. 'It felt like her personality was completely gone because she didn't want to do anything,' Alicia said. Ada also underwent weekly lumbar punctures and 28 days of continuous immunotherapy. She is due to start more intense chemotherapy followed by another round of immunotherapy.
Emotional toll on family
'Treatment has been hard,' Alicia admitted. 'It's hard to see your child in pain every day and see her go through hard things. As a parent, I wish I could go through this for her. During things like port access, where they stab a needle in her and we have to hold her down while she screams "why are you hurting me?" It breaks my heart. My husband and I often think "why did this have to happen to our child?"'
Ada is currently responding well to treatment with minimal side effects. Alicia has begun sharing their journey online to warn other parents about ALL symptoms. 'These children deserve to have a cure. They deserve treatment that isn't so harsh; safer treatments shouldn't be a dream,' she said. 'You never know what it is like to have a child with cancer until you are going through it. And if you think you are being helpful to them you could probably do so much more.'
About acute lymphoblastic leukaemia
Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) is a rare type of blood cancer most common in children aged four and under. Symptoms include feeling tired or weak, bleeding or bruising easily, pale skin, frequent infections, high temperature, swollen glands, bone or joint pain, loss of appetite, weight loss, shortness of breath, and a swollen tummy. Ada's parents have set up a GoFundMe for support.
