Brave Hannah has beaten cancer in style

Mar 27 2011 by Dan Warburton, Sunday Sun

HER brave cancer battle inspired the region... now Hanna Schweppe has reached a monumental milestone.

The 16-year-old was left fighting for life after she was struck down with a rare liver cancer in 2009.

At one point, the teen’s family were told she might not pull through after doctors discovered the tumour.

During a 10-month battle, Hanna went through nine bouts of energy-sapping chemotherapy and two life-saving operations.

The youngster spent the first 22 weeks of her treatment in hospital as doctors tried to stabilise her condition.

But now Hanna is holding a special fashion show fundraiser after reaching the 12-month mark since the illness went into remission.

Last night she spoke of her heroic journey and told of the moment she discovered that her life was at risk.

Hanna, who lives in High Heaton, Newcastle, with her mum, Sheila, and her two sisters, Fiona, 23, a quantity surveying student at Bristol University, and Nuala, 14, said: “I feel great now. It’s always in the back of my mind. I try to forget about the whole thing and now it’s only when I go up for my scans that I remember.

“Instead of going out with my friends on the one-year anniversary I want to help the people that helped me.”

The Heaton Manor School pupil added: “I get my one-year scan in the morning and then we’re going to have the fashion show in the afternoon. It’s going to be a big day.

“I’ve had a lot of scans but they’re more infrequent now. You just have to get used to it.”

We revealed how Hanna had returned to school in May last year.

Having missed a huge chunk of her education because of her gruelling treatment, the plucky schoolgirl still managed to achieve eight GCSEs, with one A and seven Bs.

Now she is at sixth form and is tackling A-levels in maths, chemistry, biology and textiles.