Teenager celebrating being ten years cancer free urges people to join in TK Maxx’s ‘Give Up Clothes for Good’ campaign,

A 17-YEAR-old teenager is celebrating the ten-year anniversary of being cancer free after a long childhood battle with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

Felicity Curtis was only three when she was diagnosed with the disease after she broke her leg on a trampoline. The fracture would not heal, and tests eventually revealed she had cancer.

Two years of life-saving treatment followed for the Backfield youngster, who is telling her story during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month to highlight the new scientific breakthroughs helping children like her survive cancer.

She is also backing TK Maxx’s ‘Give Up Clothes for Good’ campaign, in support of Cancer Research UK for Children & Young People.

Felicity said: “It was really upsetting for my family when I was diagnosed with cancer, but I feel really lucky that I’ve been able to pretty much live a normal life after treatment. I’ve done dance, gymnastics and now I’m learning to drive and hope to study law.

“None of that would be possible without the research that saved my life, so I hope people will help give other children the same chance to beat the disease.”

Doctors realised there was something wrong when Felicity’s broken leg had not healed after six weeks.

“When the hospital took off my cast, it broke again. I was in plaster for another six weeks and when that cast was removed, my leg broke again for a third time. I’d also been extremely tired and lethargic.

“My family knew something wasn’t right, so they pushed for the doctors to carry out some blood tests and one night at 2am, my parents were told I had acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.”

Mum Charlotte Stubbs said: “It was so hard to get your head around initially, but Felicity’s strength and the strength of others who were also on the Piam Brown cancer ward at University Hospital Southampton helped me get through it to support her.”

Felicity added: “I’m lucky that I don’t have too many memories of it all as I was so young, but I know that it was a really tough time for the people around me.

“I needed chemotherapy treatment for two years and I remember starting school and being treated slightly differently as I had extra needs due to my leukaemia.

“At times, during my treatment, some people thought I was a boy because I had no hair which was upsetting, but my dad shaved his head too to make me feel better about it.

“I do have some good memories too of some fun times around the hospital, and once my treatment had finished, I was lucky that I was able to do the things I loved like aerobic gymnastics, competing all over the UK.”

Felicity is currently studying at Barton Peveril College, and is hoping to do a degree apprenticeship in law. She is urging people to take part in the TK Maxx initiative by taking their unwanted clothes to their nearest store.

The retail chain has raised £45m for Cancer Research UK since 2004.

The charity’s spokesperson for Hampshire, Elisa Mitchell, said: “It’s thanks to the generosity of our supporters, we are beating cancer. Step by step, day by day.

“More than nine in 10 children and young people with cancer who receive cancer drugs on the NHS receive a drug linked to our work. And we’re unlocking discoveries about these cancers and translating them into new and less toxic ways to treat them.

“But, despite huge progress, too many young lives are still lost to this devastating disease. By donating any quality clothes or goods to their local TK Maxx store in Southampton, Christchurch and Bournemouth people can help ensure more young people in the region - and across the UK – can live longer, better lives free from the fear of cancer.”

For more information, visit cruk.org/childrenandyoungpeople