I'm helping children just like nurses did for me...

A CHILDHOOD cancer patient who is now training to be a paediatric nurse says a clinical trial that saved her means she is "able to support children like the nurses did for me".

- Hanna Geissler Health Editor

Aleesha-marie Southam was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia six years ago — but is among around 35,000 youngsters saved by medical advances over the past 50 years.

Her trial helped doctors to predict the risk of her cancer returning, and led to a stem cell transplant.

Cancer Research UK said that she is among around 18,000 under-25s who have taken part in studies that it has supported since 2002.

The research contributed to the discovery of half the world's cancer drugs that are considered essential for children, and it played a key role in many of the advances that have helped 34,500 young people reach adulthood since the 1970s.