B.C. tot deemed cancer-free suffers new complication

CTV Vancouver Published Thursday, May 22, 2014 4:31PM PDT Last Updated Friday, May 23, 2014 3:33AM PDT

A four-year-old Victoria girl whos already endured two kinds of cancer is in terrible pain once more, just weeks after being discharged from hospital.

Hannah Days leukemia disappeared earlier this year thanks to a stem cell transplant from her mom, and the trooper tot was released from BC Childrens Hospital on May 6.

Sadly, that same treatment caused a complication known as graft-versus-host disease, which has left poor Hannah with a painful rash similar to third-degree burns.

My stem cells are actually attacking Hannahs body, mom Brooke Ervin told CTV News. She doesnt even want to listen to me or talk to me right now, she just spends her time screaming.

Ervin said the disease, which is very common in transplant patients, has spread the itchy rashes over 90 per cent of Hannahs body.

She was recently re-admitted to hospital so they could administer intravenous steroids.

Shes miserable. Shes so upset, Ervin said. We cant really tell her anything, we just hope that one day this will all end. I mean, it has to this child has suffered most of her life.

Fortunately, doctors say graft-versus-host disease isnt necessarily a bad sign for Hannah.

I dont like seeing the immune system attack Hannah but what Im hoping is the same immune system is attacking her leukemia, which will hopefully be what helps cure her, Dr. Rod Rassekh said.

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B.C. tot deemed cancer-free suffers new complication