A baby boy was diagnosed with leukaemia after his family noticed he didn't like his hair being brushed and that he bruised easily.
One-year-old Freddy Slaven was taken to hospital by worried parents Lucy Price and Jeff Slaven after developing a purple bruise "all over his body".
The family, from Birkenhead, Merseyside, were left "devastated" after doctors told them Freddy had leukaemia on May 26, Liverpool Echo reports.
Lucy and Jeff first became concerned about Freddy after he developed worrying symptoms.
"He's really delicate and he used to bruise really easily," Freddy's cousin, Levi Burnley, said.
"And every time we brush his hair, he doesn't like it and it really hurts him, it was little things like that."
Freddy soon developed a purple bruise all over his body, and after the bruise didn't fade he was taken to hospital.
Levi, 19, said: "Obviously it was unusual, and she [Lucy] was really worried about it. They took him to hospital even though they thought it might fade away, it was her mother's instinct.
"After tests, they [doctors] came back and she could tell by the look on their face something was up."
As well as being diagnosed with leukaemia, doctors also told the family Freddy was anaemic.
While he now faces a tough battle with chemotherapy, Levi believes Lucy saved her son's life because of "mother's instinct".
She added: "I don't think it's really set in that she did save his life by doing that."
Explaining the news to his older sister was particularly difficult, Levi said.
She said: "One of his sisters slightly understands, but we said he's going to lose his hair, he's going to put on weight.
"It's hard trying to get them to understand, because obviously they will be confused."
Although the family are devastated, Levi said Freddy had been "amazing" despite already starting treatment.
She said: "He's so strong. If you just met him, you wouldn't think anything was wrong with him, he's just so happy.
"He sometimes gets groggy, but then he'll see the nurse bringing him food and he's happy again. He's an amazing little boy."
Freddy is being cared for at Alder Hey Hospital but this means Lucy and Jeff must travel there every day without a car of their own.
Levi has started a gofundme page in order to raise funds to support the family though this difficult time.
So far, the page has raised more than £1,600. To visit the fundraiser click here.
