I stayed positive with leukaemia

Press Packer Jake had leukaemia - cancer of the blood - but tried to keep a positive attitude while he got better.

This is his story:

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"I first noticed that I had purple dotted bruises on my feet and was starting to get more tired than I usually did. I was under the weather everyday.

I remember that I tried riding my bike up the hill but I couldn't because I had no energy.

I had bags under my eyes before, so it was a sign of something but we didn't take too much notice. We just thought I hadn't had enough sleep.

And we thought my purple toes were bruises from football at the weekend.

What have I got?

More information... Check out our guide to cancer

We went to our GP and he had a look at me and sent me for a blood test.

After more tests I was told I had leukaemia.

I was crying for an hour - I couldn't stop.

Off to hospital

I went to hospital for about four days after I was told. I was scared then. I went in an ambulance all the way to London from Southend.

At that time I didn't know anything about Great Ormond Street Hospital. I didn't know much about it but there was a lovely lady who made me feel better by explaining what would happen and going through things.

With help from physiotherapy, Jake was able to move around more.

Intensive care

I had four lots of chemotherapy over five months.

But I also spent one month in a coma in the intensive care unit with a yellow space helmet thing on to increase my blood pressure so that I could breathe easier because my lungs were bleeding.

Don't worry, that doesn't happen to everyone with leukaemia but I got ill.

I slept for a month. I didn't know anything about it but that was the best way. That was a horrible time for my family, or any family.

Jake helping out at the hospital radio station

I came out of intensive care 31 days later but I wasn't waking up.

They did a scan while I was still asleep. They spotted this goo in my head.

They did lots of tests to find out what it was but they came back negative.

I had to have an operation on my brain - they took out some 'goo' to see what it was so they could decide what treatment to give me.

I went back to intensive care but I was alright and I had survived the operation.

Positive mental attitude

When I woke up I couldn't move anything. I could only blink. I had to do special exercises - physio - every day for nine weeks. I hated it at first because it was hard.

I had to have a break from chemo to get stronger.

The physio went on and gradually, towards the end, it went down to every two days. I surprised them by how quickly I got better.

I wouldn't be out that hospital now if it wasn't for the determination of my family. We stayed strong and got through it.

I left the hospital in August after five months. My life is back to normal now and I can do every sport that I used to. I am eating properly and I am back at school.

Having a positive mental attitude - that is what gets you through it. Be brave and courageous."

Jake, 13, Southend-on-Sea, Essex

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