ALEX SCAPENS
ASCHOOLGIRL who won a yearlong fight with cancer but now faces a daily battle against the disabilities it left her with feels ‘lucky to have had the experience’.
Charlotte Jennings, 15, from Gatley, was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of acute myeloid leukaemia in early 2014.
She was given a 10 per cent chance of survival but three rounds of chemotherapy - including two that were adult strength - and a bone marrow transplant means she has remained in remission since 2015.
The treatment has come at a cost though as now Charlotte has avasucular necrosis and osteoporosis, which means she cannot walk ●●Charlotte Jenning who beat cancer but has been left disabled unaided.
The blood supply to her bones and joints is interrupted so her shin bone is dying and she will need to have her knees, ankles and wrists replaced.
But Charlotte has remained positive throughout her ordeals and, as part of her determination to enjoy life, she has organised a party for her 16th birthday in a bid to raise £10,000.
She said: “I wish I hadn’t have been ill and didn’t have the side effects but I say to my friends I’m almost glad and lucky it happened as I have made friends for life.
“I can get frustrated trying to keep up with people or at school but I am happy for the experience. If you don’t laugh you’ll cry and I always try and make it laughter.
“My 16th birthday is very special to me. At times I thought that I would not be here to celebrate it but here I am and so I want to do something extra special.
“It means a lot to me to raise money to make life easier for other children. All children should be given a chance to live their lives to the full and reach for their dreams.”
Charlotte became ill very suddenly in January 2014 and her mum Lynne, 47, noticed she was so pale she ‘was almost transparent’.
She went to the doctors and by the end of the month was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia.
Medics also said she was anaemic and needed a blood transfusion.
Other obstacles on a long road to recovery were a serious infection, a damaged liver and a leak from her kidney.
Her bone marrow transplant also rejected its new host body and Charlotte had to be hooked up to machine that cleaned her white blood cells.
Other side effects she has been left with is the inability to have children and that she stopped growing in her early teens at the height of 4ft 11in.
Despite all this Charlotte, who lives on Silverdale Road with Lynne, dad Paul, 52 and brother Michael, 24, attends Kingsway School.
And she has already raised £18,000 – split between charity Kidscan and ward 84 at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.
Lynne said: “When we were told it was leukaemia you go into initial shock thinking, ‘my daughter has cancer, am I going to lose her’.
“You expect someone to tell you it is a mistake. As her mother it is hard giving her over to strangers to save her life.
“You can’t trade places with her but you would give anything to do that.
“But Charlotte has been so positive all the way through, even in hospital she was helping and supporting other families, we are immensely proud of her.”
The party, which is a 155 ticket sell-out, takes place at the Hallmark Hotel, Handforth, on Saturday with a DJ, buffet, auction and raffle.
Prizes for the auction and raffle are needed, anyone who can help can call Kidscan on 295 3864.