A CHILD who was recognised as being at risk of having a rare childhood cancer during his mother's pregnancy has been honoured for his courage after nearly two years fighting the disease.


Twenty-two-month-old Luke Leach's mum Debbie Hope, 34, of Burnley, had retinoblastoma - a type of cancer found at the back of the eye - when she was a baby. 


The genetic condition was passed on to Luke, the youngest of Debbie's two sons, and he was diagnosed at just six months old.


Despite his young age, Luke has bravely battled the condition and won a Little Star award from Cancer Research UK after being nominated by his mum.


Older brother Jake was also given a certificate for the support he has given to his baby brother.


Debbie, who lives in the Brunshaw area with partner Dale, 32, said: “It is a very long process. You sort of live from check-up to check-up. 


"I am often sitting around at the hospital for hours and I saw a poster about the Little Star Awards. 


"Luke is very young but it is something we will be able to show him when he is older and use to help us explain what he went through and how brave he was. 


"He is such a happy little boy. He always has a big smile on his face. It is just nice to have something positive.


“It was also nice that Jake got a certificate to recognise the effect the diagnosis has had on him too. 


"Jake absolutely adores his little brother and feels sad when he can’t help Luke. 
"We told him people say laughter is the best medicine and he is really good at making Luke laugh and smile and I think that’s really helped him."


Debbie herself was diagnosed at nine months old and her parents were told she might not survive, but Debbie pulled through after having her left eye removed and radiotherapy on her right eye. 


When she was older, Debbie learned the cancer had been caused by a genetic fault and that her children had a risk of developing it too. 


Her older son Jake did not inherit the condition, but Debbie had to have a test at 11 weeks into her pregnancy with Luke and that’s when she and Dale discovered their baby would be at high risk of developing the cancer when he was born. 


After his diagnosis, one of Luke's tumours was treated with laser therapy and four were treated with cryotherapy, where the doctor freezes the cancer cells to kill them, at the Royal London Hospital.


Luke finished his chemotherapy in May and has remained cancer-free since, but doctors will continue to monitor him closely for the next few years.


Alison Barbuti, from the charity, said: “The Little Star Awards are a wonderful way of raising awareness of the progress that is being made in the fight against children’s cancer and we would like to encourage anyone who knows an inspirational child like Luke to nominate them now."

Cancer research UK is now calling on the public to show their support for children with the disease by nominating a Little Star.

The award is open to all under-18s who have cancer or who have been treated for the disease in the last five years.

To nominate a little star or donate, visit cruk.org/littlestar