‘Don’t count the days, make the days count:’ Ashley Cain cuddles daughter Azaylia in bed and says he feels ‘truly blessed to have another day with you’ amid heartbreaking leukemia battle
- The eight-month-old was rushed to hospital on Tuesday night after her heart rate climbed to over 200 and she has since received a platelet transfusion
- Taking to Instagram on Wednesday evening, Ashley’s partner and Azaylia’s mother Safiyya Vorajee gave an update on their daughter after returning home
- She said: ‘Her breathing is a little bit more intense. She is struggling a little bit so we’re giving her oxygen just to help her sleep more comfortably.’
- The couple have been chronicling Azaylia’s leukemia battle on social media
Ashley Cain has shared sweet snaps cuddling with his daughter Azaylia in bed and said he feels ‘truly blessed to have another day with you’ amid her leukemia battle.
The former Ex On The Beach star, 30, took to Instagram on Friday to post adorable new pictures with his eight-month-old as she took a nap beside him.
Ashley said that although they can’t have ‘playtime right now’ due to her illness they have been making up for it ‘with lots of snuggles’.
Together: Ashley Cain has shared sweet snaps cuddling with his daughter Azaylia in bed and said he feels ‘truly blessed to have another day with you’ amid her leukemia battle
Ashley and his girlfriend Safiyya, 34, have been chronicling her terminal leukaemia battle on social media since she was diagnosed aged just two months.
He wrote beside the pictures: ‘Morning – Don’t count the days, make the days count.
‘Truth be told, there’s not so much playtime right now but we make up for it with naps and lots of snuggles. Pretty much anything that makes her the happiest and most settled.
‘We have always been like two pees in a pod and wherever she is I’m not far away. I think that’s where we both feel most comfortable. Truly blessed for another day with you baby, keep surprising us!’
Cute: The former Ex On The Beach star, 30, took to Instagram on Friday to post adorable new snaps with his eight-month-old as she took a nap beside him
Heartfelt: Ashley said that although they can’t have ‘playtime right now’ due to her illness they have been making up for it ‘with lots of snuggles’
It comes after Azaylia delighted her parents on Thursday evening by eating her first proper food in a fortnight.
Safiyya shared videos of the tot sitting on her lap while eating greens from her plate and revealed she had shared her food.
She said: ‘We have Azaylia’s grandma here and she has just made some dinner for me and look who’s eaten her greens? She has just had so much fun with my dinner and it’s the first time she’s eaten in about two weeks. She amazes me.’
Little one: Ashley and his girlfriend Safiyya, 34, have been chronicling her terminal leukaemia battle on social media since she was diagnosed aged just two months
Heartbreak: It comes after Azaylia delighted her parents on Thursday evening by eating her first proper food in a fortnight
Safiyya was bursting with pride in her latest slew of videos sharing her daughter’s time at home after she was given days to live by doctors.
Earlier in the day, Ashley was seen sweetly kissing his baby daughter’s head as the strong family soaked up time together at home on Thursday.
In an adorable clip shared to Instagram, the she was cradled by her doting mum while her proud dad stands nearby.
The little girl was rushed to hospital on Tuesday after her heart rate climbed to over 200 and she received a platelet transfusion.
Helping hand: Her gran was on hand to cook
Her girl: Safiyya was bursting with pride in her latest slew of videos sharing her daughter’s time at home after she was given days to live by doctors
Doting dad: Earlier in the day, Ashley was seen sweetly kissing his baby daughter’s head as the strong family soaked up time together at home on Thursday
Updating fans on Azaylia’s condition on Thursday, Safiyya showed that the youngster was being treated to lots of cuddles from family members.
Safiyya held her daughter, who was clutching a colourful toy, in a quick video posted on stories while Ashley planted a sweet kiss on his only child’s forehead.
Another clip showed Azaylia dancing with her aunty and Safiyaa saying that the lady was their ‘family nurse’ and had been ‘amazing’.
Meanwhile, Ashley later took to his Instagram stories to thank his mum and sister for helping to care for their home whilst he and Safiyya have been at the hospital with Azaylia.
Family: The eight-month-old was cradled by her mum
Daddy and daughter: The Ex On The Beach star soaked up the quality time with his baby girl
Sharing a snap of them holding Azalyia with crown emojis on their heads, Ashley penned: ‘These two people have been here right from the start. Cooking food and washing clothes while we were in hospital, standing outside for hours everyday doing window visits while we were at home.
He went on to praise them for being a ‘rock’ for him and Safiyya, praising his ‘incredible’ relatives for their selflessness throughout Azaylia’s illness.
The update comes after it was revealed that Azaylia has been put on oxygen to help her sleep ‘comfortably’ after returning home from hospital.
Taking to Instagram on Wednesday evening, Ashley’s partner and Azaylia’s mother Safiyya gave an update on their daughter after returning home.
‘My family, so proud’: Ashley was also seen cradling his daughter while Safiyya kissed her head
Sharing a sweet video of herself holding a sleeping Azaylia in her arms, Safiyya admitted they had experienced an ‘exhausting’ night.
She said: ‘Really really exhausting night last night. We didn’t get much sleep at all, probably haven’t had much sleep in the last few weeks.
‘As you can see, Azaylia is on oxygen at the moment. Her breathing is a little bit more intense. She is struggling a little bit so we’re giving her oxygen just to help her sleep more comfortably.
Making memories: Safiyya also shared a short video of Azaylia dancing with her aunty and Safiyaa saying that the lady was their ‘family nurse’ and had been ‘amazing’
Thank you: Meanwhile, Ashley later took to his Instagram stories to thank his mum and sister for helping to care for their home whilst he and Safiyya have been at the hospital with Azaylia
‘She’s not had an uncomfortable day today, she’s been very comfortable and quite sleepy. Hopefully later on she wakes up and we can have some playtime.’
Safiyya went on to share another sweet video of a sleeping Azaylia in her arms and added the caption: ‘Quality time’ followed by a heart emoji.
It comes after Azaylia was nominated for a Pride Of Britain Award by thousands of supporters around the world.
The little girl has been battling acute myeloid leukaemia since she was just two months and has garnered thousands of votes.
Update: It comes after Safiyya revealed on Wednesday that Azaylia has been put on oxygen to help her sleep ‘comfortably’ after returning home from hospital amid her leukaemia battle
The Azaylia Diamond Cain Journey To Fight Acute Myeloid Leukaemia Facebook page, which has 136.9K member, saw traction rising to get the tot nominated for one of the prestigious awards to recognise her fight.
After their Pride Of Britain votes began the couple revealed she had been discharged from hospital again.
On the Facebook page for the tot, one of her followers penned: ‘Get this little champ nominated!!’, leading to masses of comments confirming fans had voted.
The page has followed Azalyia’s journey with huge support from many close to the family as well as strangers who have been helping the family.
In what will no doubt be happy news for the family, on Wednesday Safiyya shared a video of Azalyia as they made their way home after another platelet transfusion.
The video showed Azaylia on a stretcher while playing with a teddy bear which had been gifted to her by a paramedic.
Sweet: Safiyya later shared another photo with Azaylia and said: ‘Thank you for today, and blessing me with my beautiful family’
Before she was admitted to hospital on Tuesday night, the aesthetic practitioner wrote alongside the video: ‘Back in hospital tonight, Azaylia’s heart rate was over 200.
‘Currently waiting for her blood results to see if we can get her some antibiotics to treat any infections…
‘You are amazing baby. Mummy and daddy promised to give you our 100% from day 1 & we will keep to our word what ever you need we will do for you baby.’
Clearly heartbroken, the couple took to Instagram to give the update alongside the videos showing paramedics tending to the tot in her third urgent hospital trip in the brief time she has been allowed to return home.
Earlier in the evening, a special clap was held for Azaylia, with celebrities like Abbey Clancy, Marnie Simpson and Mrs Hinch leading the stars in taking part in the clap, which celebrated eight-month-old daughter amid her leukaemia battle.
Vote for Azaylia: The baby girl has been nominated for a Pride Of Britain Award by thousands of supporters around the world (Azaylia pictured in a digital portrait by Roe-Parkin Creative)
Let’s go champ: On the Facebook page for the tot, one of her followers penned: ‘Get this little champ nominated!!’, leading to masses of comments confirming fans had voted
The couple were moved as strangers and celebrities showed their support for their little tot in the same way the public have done for the NHS during the Covid crisis.
Safiyya took to Instagram to share a video after the clap, showing how many people had come out to clap for Azaylia.
She told her followers: ‘We’ve just done our 7 O’clock clap and wow our street was so loud wasn’t it? You were singing really loud weren’t ya? Wow! Everyone’s come out, yea they have all for you baby girl, I love you.’
After they returned home, Safiyya went on: ‘Wow here’s the champ, everyone’s still been singing for you, yea. Let’s go champ, let’s go!’
Ashley also shared a post shortly before the clap was set to take place, as he gushed over being able to take his daughter for a walk outside for the first time.
In a touching post, he wrote: ‘Today was the first time in the 8 months of fatherhood that I’ve had the chance to walk down the street with my baby in my arms.
Home: In what will no doubt be happy news for the family, on Wednesday Safiyya shared a video of Azalyia as they made their way home after another platelet transfusion
‘No hospital, no isolation, no pram with a protective cover… Just me, and my baby, doing what a daddy and daughter should be able to do.
‘When I say this to you all I really mean it… Appreciate what you have, cherish every single moment and always be the best you that you can be for the ones you love.’
He added: ‘I have been told today, there is an official doorstep clap that’s been organised for Azaylia tonight at 7pm.
‘To this day, I am still amazed and overwhelmed at the amount of love and support for my beautiful daughter, and I am grateful for everyone who has arranged and will be taking part in tonight’s clap, to show support for Azaylia and her journey.
‘Despite what’s going on, I truly feel blessed that I get to spend these days with the best thing that ever happened to me. They will stay with me in my heart forever!’
Earlier in the day, Ashley revealed Azaylia had been rushed back to hospital after she began crying blood and in urgent need of a transfusion.
Heartbreak: Azaylia was rushed to hospital on Tuesday night, just hours after celebrities and fans held a clap in her honour
Support: Abbey was joined by her husband Peter Crouch alongside three of their children, and in her video Abbey wrote ‘#GoChamp’
Touching: Stacey Solomon was unable to get home in time to take part, but she shared a picture of Ashley with Azaylia, and wrote: ‘It’s just the most unimaginable, heartbreaking thing’
Taking to Instagram, her mum Safiyya shared a video from within the hospital during which Ashley cradled the eight-month-old while she slept.
Proving herself to be incredibly strong, Safiyya said to the camera: ‘We’ve just gone back into hospital to get Azaylia another platelet transfusion because last night the tears started having blood in them, so we needed more platelets’.
She also shared an image of Azaylia’s leg with a deep purple bruise as a result of the disruption of the body’s platelet production, which causes bleeding under the skin.
People with leukaemia are more likely to bruise due to the fact their bodies don’t create enough platelets to plug bleeding blood vessels.
Leukaemia bruises look like any other kind of bruise, but there are usually more of them than normal. Additionally, they may show up on unusual areas of the body.
Ashley cradled Azaylia in the heartbreaking clip, while they stood in the brightly-coloured hospital room and Safiyya held the camera and spoke.
Staying positive: Ashley also shared a post shortly before the clap was set to take place, as he gushed over being able to take his daughter for a walk outside for the first time
Heartache: Earlier in the day, Ashley revealed Azaylia had been rushed back to hospital after she began crying blood and in urgent need of a transfusion
Bleeding: Safiyya also shared an image of Azaylia’s leg with a deep purple bruise as a result of the disruption of the body’s platelet production, which causes bleeding under the skin
It comes after Safiyya revealed she has planned a tattoo tribute to her daughter Azaylia, as the tot continues her fight against leukaemia.
Taking to Instagram on Monday evening, she shared heartbreaking videos chronicling the family’s tough evening before, after they demanded doctors carry out a platelet transfusion on the tot.
After having casts made of their daughter’s feet over the weekend, Safiyya revealed they had another cast-making session, during which she was given the imprints of Azaylia’s feet in preparation for a tattoo tribute to the tot.
Ashley later shared another post showing his daughter sleeping and wrote alongside: ‘We fight and we pray for another day #letsgochamp’.
The couple have been chronicling Azalyia’s health woes on social media since she was diagnosed with leukaemia at just two months and has garnered worldwide support, including from Dwayne Johnson.
In the same video in which she discussed her tattoo, Safiyya branded her daughter’s pain ‘torture’ to look upon and then posted a video while singing Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston’s 1998 hit When You Believe.
Heartbreak: It comes after Safiyya revealed she has planned a tattoo tribute to her daughter Azaylia, as the tot continues her fight against leukaemia
On her tattoo, she said: ‘We did more castings yesterday to get some necklaces and some hand prints and foot prints…
‘I started stressing in case I dropped it but the lady was so good and gave me a print that I can get as a tattoo so she’ll always be with me and so close. So I decided to get the prints done and a tattoo of her hands and feet.’
On their trip to hospital and her transfusion the previous day, she said: ‘Azaylia was experiencing loads of nosebleeds due to the platelets in the body not being able to clot the blood so we went to hospital…
‘Unfortunately over the night she’s still experiencing the bleeding. Just spoken to the community nurse and they’re coming to check. Anything you’re experiencing with your child, you know your child best. We thought it was right to get the transfusion…
‘The NHS and the service they provide is amazing. Every morning I wake up is a blessing and I just feel so lucky to hold her there and for her to smile and to sing to and all our Jungle Book themed tunes…
‘She’s so beautiful’: After having casts made of their daughter’s feet over the weekend, Safiyya revealed they had another cast-making session, during which she was given the imprints of Azaylia’s feet in preparation for a tattoo tribute to the tot
‘The amount of times we sing you wouldn’t even know. You don’t know how much I love her and it’s absolutely heartbreaking and this feels like torture it’s so hard and the support you’ve given us is amazing…
‘It’s so hard and painful but I’m gonna make every day as special and fun as possible for her. Make the most of everyday because tomorrow isn’t promised to anyone.’
She then shared a video of Ashley’s sister Alissia dancing with Azaylia and another showing them snapping selfies together.
Last week, doctors revealed there was no further treatment available amid her leukaemia battle following the discovery of multiple tumours in her body.
The couple recently raised more than £1.5m to fund a trip to Singapore for life-saving transplant, but she was being treated in the UK during the interim.
Sweetheart: Ashley said he has spent the first eight months of fatherhood under Covid-19 restrictions in hospital as his daughter fought the cancer
He later revealed that Azaylia can no longer fly to Singapore for treatment after discovering the tumours, and vowed to make her final days ‘as fun as they can’.
Ashley penned a detailed account of Azaylia’s health battle on his GoFundMe page and said that any extra funds the couple receive will be donated to other families in a similar situation to them.
According to the NHS, it is a ‘highly complex and potentially risky treatment’ but has been shown in trials to cure some patients when other treatments have failed.
Ashley said he has spent the first eight months of fatherhood under Covid-19 restrictions in hospital as his daughter fought the cancer.
Doctors told the TV star and his partner Safiyya that chemotherapy would not be enough to cure Azaylia.
Last week, Ashley shared a heartbreaking video revealing he and Safiyya were bringing their little girl home to make her comfortable after learning doctors had found tumours throughout her body.
And as he faces up to the harrowing prognosis that his adorable child has just days to live, Ashley paid tribute to the brave youngster as he admitted: ‘I don’t know what I will do without you.’
In the video, the doting dad was seen gently splashing the water around Azaylia as she looked up at her dad adoringly while sitting in a small tub on the hospital ward.
Captioning the footage, he wrote: Azaylia’s last bath in hospital, before we take her home where she belongs. ❤️
‘9 days ago consultants told us my daughter had 1-2 days to live, but thought she may pass that evening. Even with a barbaric disease consuming her blood, tumours in her brain and organs and amounts of pain I cannot imagine…
‘She is still battling through 9 days later, with parts of the day with nothing but smiles despite her discomfort.
‘This is a testament of this little girls strength and the fight she has possessed all of the way through. She has fought a battle that not many, if any, of us could have endured and she’s earned the love and respect of many on the way…
‘The truth is though, I hope and pray that I have earned hers! Even through the hardest and saddest time of my life, she has found a way to make it better…
‘She has shined light on the darkest of days and she has opened my heart to amounts of love I couldn’t believe possible.
‘The truth is, I don’t know what I will do without you. But for now, I find strength in giving you the best of me, and the only me that you deserve.
‘You are in my arms, my thoughts, my prayers and my heart everyday my princess. YOU’RE MY HERO! ✊ DADDY LOVES YOU!’
For help and support caring for children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions, please contact Together for Short Lives on 0808 8088 100 or visit www.togetherforshortlives.org.uk
What are the symptoms of leukaemia in children?
Fatigue and pale skin – this is because leukaemia can cause anaemia which makes a child feel weak, tired and light-headed.
Infections and fever – children with leukaemia lack normal white blood cells which would normally help fight infection.
Rash – children may have small, dark spots that look like common rashes if the leukemia cells spread to the skin
Easy bruising or bleeding – this includes frequent nosebleeds, bleeding gums and bleeding a lot from small cuts.
Bone or joint pain – this is caused by a build up of leukaemia cells near the surface of the bone or inside the joint.
Swelling of the abdomen – leukaemia cells may collect in the liver and spleen causing them to enlarge.
Loss of appetite and weight loss – if the spleen and liver swell, they can press against the stomach causing loss of appetite.
Swollen lymph nodes – some leukaemias spread to the lymph nodes causing them to swell.
Source: American Cancer Society
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