ITV Emmerdale heartbreaking diagnosis for young resident as family left devastated

Emmerdale will air some devastating scenes next week – as one resident gets a heartbreaking diagnosis.

Next week on the ITV soap, Dawn panics when she spots a bruise on Evan’s leg. When she telephones the surgery, Dr Liam tells her she needs to take him to A&E immediately, where a paediatrician examines him and decides to take some blood tests. Anxious that they will be accused of hurting their son, Billy and Dawn are left worried.

In heartbreaking scenes, Dawn and Billy will be told their son is very sick and having seen the blood results, the paediatrician decides they need to take an urgent bone marrow biopsy. They have noticed low haemoglobin and platelet levels and ask for more tests to be completed, leaving Dawn and Billy terrified as they worry what might happen.

Dawn is told not to feed her son as he needs to be nil by mouth before he has the biopsy and without her usual methods, she struggles to soothe him. Billy heads home and tells his family the news – and that it could be anything from infection, autoimmune or even leukaemia, leaving Will and Kim horrified as they rush straight to the hospital.

They’re delayed when Ruby and Moira are caught in a feud but when Will finally arrives at the hospital, he desperately tries to comfort Dawn as Evan is taken off his biopsy. The next day, the doctor tells them that the bone marrow biopsy has shown that Evan has a form of leukaemia. Kim and Will can only watch on as Dawn buckles, devastated over the diagnosis.

Actress Olivia Bromley, who plays Dawn, shared: “This is an incredibly challenging and heartbreaking story, but such an important story for Emmerdale to tell. I’ve learnt so much since working with Leukaemia Care and speaking to parents whose children have been diagnosed, and we want to not only raise awareness but to do justice to the experience of families who are blindsided by a diagnosis like this. For Dawn and Billy, like many parents, Evan’s diagnosis turns their world upside down so unexpectedly.

“It’s been inspiring to hear the stories of strength, resilience and also to hear of the incredible NHS staff who do such invaluable work when parents’ are at their lowest, so I hope we can also reflect this as we approach this storyline.”

Emmerdale Producer, Laura Shaw, added: “Evan’s leukaemia diagnosis will come abruptly and without warning for Dawn and Billy, like it does for many parents who find themselves facing this devastating situation.

“Working closely with Leukaemia Care, it’s vital to us that we portray this story as accurately and sensitively as possible and do justice to those faced with a diagnosis like this and highlight the severe impact a long term illness like this can have on families lives.”