Sunshine Coast boy’s sore throat reveals acute myeloid leukaemia

Cooper, a ten-year-old from Bli Bli on the Sunshine Coast, first complained of an intense sore throat three weeks ago, prompting his mother Naomi Turner to seek medical help. Initial treatment for tonsillitis proved ineffective, and his condition worsened, leading to a visit to Sunshine Coast University Hospital’s emergency department on July 27. Tests there identified acute myeloid leukaemia, and he started chemotherapy at Brisbane Children’s Hospital within a day.

Turner described the diagnosis as a shock and noted her son’s low energy and hospital confinement. Maher Gandhi, who leads Mater Research’s blood-cancer group, said infections are common leukaemia symptoms but cautioned that most childhood sore throats are not cancer-related, urging parents to seek medical advice if symptoms persist.