‘My son was diagnosed with a rare blood cancer - he’s so brave, I’m blown away by everything that he is enduring’

A two-year-old boy has been left too weak to walk after "constant tonsillitis" turned out to be a rare blood cancer.

Olsen Sagers first started suffering from "constant" tonsillitis and a fever in March 2025. 

Despite being prescribed by the GP with around eight courses of tonsillitis antibiotics, by July, his symptoms left him unable to walk, leaving his parents "scared and confused ".

Mum, Rebecca Jennings, aged 26 and from Kidderminster, pushed for a blood test at the GP, and they were referred to Worcestershire Hospital on July 9.

A day later, Olsen was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia – a rare cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow.

On July 12, Olsen started chemotherapy at Birmingham Children’s Hospital with his first course lasting four weeks.

Rebecca, a pub supervisor, said: "His fever and tonsillitis symptoms just wouldn’t go away.

"It was so scary and confusing when he started struggling to walk. We just wanted to get to the bottom of it to help him. Getting the diagnosis was earth-shattering. Obviously, my mother’s instinct knew something was wrong, but I never in a million years thought it would be leukaemia. But Olsen's been so brave, and I'm blown away with everything he's enduring."

After first spotting Olsen's constant cough and high temperature in March 2025, which GPs put down to tonsillitis, his symptoms soon worsened by July.

Leaving little Olsen unable to walk, mum, Rebecca, pushed for blood tests from the GP and the pair were soon referred to Worcestershire Hospital.

On July 10, Olsen was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia - a rare blood cancer most common in children and young people, especially children aged four and under. Two days later, the brave lad started his first round of chemotherapy, through an IV in his chest as well as steroids.

Every few weeks, Olsen has to be put under general anaesthesia to have a lumbar puncture so that the chemotherapy can be inserted into his spine.

 “It’s been really horrible because there’s nothing you can do to take it away." Rebecca said. "Physically, he’s been exhausted, and it's really taken it out of him.”

Olsen has now been put on a feeding tube after completely losing his appetite as a result of treatment.

Medics have advised Rebecca that there is a 90 per cent chance that Olsen will reach full remission, but chemotherapy and other targeted treatments are likely to continue for up to three years.

Rebecca has since left her job as a pub supervisor to care for Olsen, which has put further financial strain on the family.

Olsen’s grandad, David Warren, 67, has set up a GoFundMe page to help support Olsen as well as raise money for The Children of Worcester and Herefordshire Cancer Fund. Both David and his son, Michael Warren, 29, will be running 25km from Bristol to Bath on September 27.

Rebecca said: “The response has been incredible, and it means the world.”

To donate, visit: Gofundme help Olsen beat Leukaemia