A KIDDERMINSTER toddler who needed a life-saving stem cell transplant after being diagnosed with cancer at three months old is now fronting a national campaign.
Wendie-Lou Smith was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) back in 2022, but three years on, she is thriving at nursery, where she enjoys singing, dancing and playing with her friends.
The youngster is now the face of a national campaign for Cancer Research UK for Children and Young People and her poster appears in hundreds of the charity’s shops across the country.
After taking Wendie-Lou to the hospital with a bumpy rash on her skin, her mum, Sammie, was in shock when the doctors said it was cancer.
Sammie had also recently lost her own sister to bowel cancer when she found out about her daughter’s diagnosis.
As part of her treatment, Wendie-Lou joined the MyeChild 01 trial, which looks at whether a targeted drug alongside chemotherapy could help people survive certain cancers.
As Wendie-Lou was so poorly, Sammie was told her best chance would be to sign her up to a clinical trial, but this helped her recover enough to receive a life-saving stem cell transplant.
Sammie said: “It was the worst time of my life.
“The cancer was so aggressive that the treatment plan was about prolonging her life, so when they offered us the trial, it felt like our only hope.
“I would have done anything to take it all away, but Wendie-Lou was amazing and bounced back every time.
“Without that trial, I don’t believe she would be here now.”
After receiving the trial drug, the family spent three months in Glasgow while Wendie-Lou underwent her stem cell transplant.
Sammie added: “Now, Wendie-Lou is a bundle of energy who enjoys singing, dancing and playing with friends at nursery.
“It’s really heartening to see her return to a normal life, filled with joy and the activities she loves.
“I’m so grateful for the research that saved her life and so hopeful for the future.
“I want to do whatever I can to help other families like ours.”
To further raise awareness of children’s and young people’s cancers, Wendie-Lou is one of several stars on shop posters across the country to raise vital awareness and funds for children’s and young people’s cancers.
