SABE Karunananthan’s son, Noah, now aged four, was diagnosed with leukaemia two years ago.

During his first round of chemo, Noah developed a fungal infection that spread to his brain and caused him to have a stroke.

“Noah was in a pretty bad way and, as a family, we were clutching to any hope we could find,” said Dad.

Noah spent the next 70 nights at Great Ormond Street Hospital, receiving treatment for the fungal infection while still having chemo.

Sabe, from Uxbridge, has shared the impact of Noah’s cancer journey on he and wife Dilly ahead of him tackling the London Marathon this Sunday for Young Lives vs Cancer.

It’s the UK’s leading charity for children and young people with cancer.

“Noah’s diagnosis broke our family,” he said. “He had huge complications with the fungal infection and the stroke and had to learn to talk and walk again. He’s still recovering from it.”

The family have long been supported by their Young Lives vs Cancer social worker, Rebecca.

Now, Noah has started nursery school alongside his twin sister Naima and is loving it.  

“Noah is still very young, so he doesn’t really know what happening, which is good,” said Sabe.

“Kids are very resilient and it amazes me how much Noah has recovered and how lucky we are as it could have been so much worse. We are blessed.”

Noah and Naima will be cheering Sabe all the way to the finish line this weekend as he runs the marathon for Young Lives vs Cancer.

Sabe said: “I've always wanted to run [it]  and now I can fulfil that ambition while raising money for a cause very close to my heart.”

www.younglivesvscancer.org.uk