Hannah beats the odds again

Hannah Swift, 14, had an emergency heart transplant five years ago. And this year she was given just three weeks to live after being diagnosed with cancer. Hannah was advised high doses of chemotherapy would kill her, but she is on the road to recovery again after receiving revolutionary treatment for her lymphoma.

And she has celebrated her remarkable victory over illness by taking to the catwalk for a star-studded photoshoot.

Hannah is one of the first children in the UK to receive the anti-cancer drug Rituximab along with lower doses of chemotherapy to combat her illness. She was diagnosed with lymphoma in Easter after complaining about pains in her legs.

Hannah's mum Carol, who runs Swift Fisheries, in Helmsley, initially thought it was a thrombosis.

"The doctors thought it was an infection but after they did a bone marrow extraction we were told it was lymphoma," she said.

"It could relate to her heart transplant because of the drugs she had to take to suppress her immune system.

"She's now returned to school and is getting back to her old self. She has lost her hair and a lot of weight, and she still has time off school but otherwise she's full of beans."

Hannah recently returned from London where she was the special guest at a celebrity photoshoot for Cosmopolitan magazine. The event was organised by the Make A Wish children's charity and involved Hannah strutting her stuff alongside the stars of reality TV shows Big Brother, Model Behaviour and Survivor.

"She thoroughly enjoyed herself - they treated her very well and she loved showing off," said Carol.

As a reward, Hannah was given a wig by Cosmopolitan which she has started wearing to school.

"Oh, she loves showing her wigs off because they make her look glamorous," said Carol.

Carol was so grateful to Make A Wish she was keen to encourage other children to contact the charity - the charity can be contacted on (01727) 624127.

Updated: 08:51 Thursday, November 22, 2001