A TODDLER is facing three years of intensive chemotherapy after being diagnosed with leukaemia.

Three-year-old Rieli Biggins, of Accrington, is undergoing treatment every two weeks since being diagnosed with the disease in May.

Doctors at Pendlebury Children’s Hospital say that he is responding well to the chemotherapy and are optimistic that he will make a full recovery.

Now his parents Jade Flood and Lee Biggins, both 20, from Accrington, are busy raising money so they can take their son on a dream holiday when the treatments are over.

Lee, a refrigeration engineer at Acme Refrigeration in Blackburn and Jade, who is a full-time mum, currently live apart as they are saving up for their first home.

Jade, a former Hollins Technology College pupil, says her young son is being very brave and is still “cheeky and happy” in spite of all he has to put up with. Nevertheless she says he has started to dread his weekly lumbar puncture, where he is put to sleep and a long thin syringe is injected into his spine to collect spinal fluid.

Over the next three years he will also have to have chemotherapy evey two weeks, with ‘intense’ chemotherapy every seven weeks.

The hard work done so far though is said to be paying off, as doctors at Pendlebury Children’s Hospital say Rieli is responding well to the treatments.

Jade, who lives with her parents on Cambridge Street, said: “He deserves a reward after everything he’s going to go through. He doesn’t understand a lot of what’s happening but just gets on with things in his own little way. The thing he hates most is the lumbar puncture, because they have to put him to sleep. He’s started to whinge a little bit before we have to go and he says he doesn’t want to go to sleep. It’s very difficult because we don’t want him to be upset and he doesn’t realise it’s for his own good.

“Rieli loves all the Disney World characters and we just thought it would be the ideal thing to do for him.”

Rieli was diagnosed in May after his parents and staff at the Cambridge Street Nursery he attends a few hours a week, noticed he was becoming very quiet, tired and withdrawn in January. The diagnosis was made in May after Rieli underwent blood tests after ending up with a severe rash.

Already £1,000 towards the holiday has been raised by Rieli’s 12-year-old cousin, Paige Grimshaw-Rosbotham of Spencer Street, Accrington who completed a sponsored walk with her friends at Arden Hall.

Family and friends are hoping to raise money with a night at Sydney Street Working Mens Club, where raffles and sponsored head-shaving, chest and leg waxing will take place for Rieli.

A signed Rovers shirt wil also be auctioned, along with other donations given to the family.

The fundraising evening takes place on July 26 at Sidney Street Working Mens Club at 7pm. For more information, contact Jade on 398 683.