H er won’t stop us ng our dreams ild victims beat cruel disease and are turning their lives around

Cheers! Glass of red is tonic for the tum

s left partially blind born with the rare teral retinoblastoma. ye was removed and several courses of apy, two courses of py and cryotherapy. who has a small sight in her right eye, ifficult and I can’t ark or use small find it challenging o new places until I with them. o plan a route and rea and then it gets e had to accept so s with time, but it me very focused on to do.” ent left the er with residual conditions, including damage in her eyes. ough her schooling severely affected, has gone to do very in her exams. he worked incredibly through her vels, got an A*, A

B and went to sity. Hannah, seen her graduation, turned my life ought I’m going to me of my life here. I eat memories, a lot nd got a first class honours. I did an n parliament and a few months after versity got a job with an MP.” hopes to work in the charity sector to . She said: “I’ve known what it feels like that support when I need it, but it could tive difference to people’s lives.” Luke was only six months old when he was diagnosed with a four-inch tumour – so big that it took up most of his stomach.

Diagnosed days before

Christmas, his chemotherapy started on December 27 and he eventually needed a seven-hour operation to remove the cancer.

Luke also underwent a

Cancer Research trial to try to prevent hearing loss suffered by children on his type of chemo.

Thankfully, it worked.

After intense treatment, Luke survived and is now a champion gymnast, ranking eighth in the recent national championships.

Mum Claire, from Surrey, recalled the moment she learned Luke was ill – and the agonising wait for a diagnosis.

She said: “They said ‘Your baby has cancer, we don’t know what type, we don’t know where or how serious it is’. We went from normal life to completely the other end of the spectrum.

“That was really tough... your mind just wanders. He had seven hours of life-threatening surgery and he was in intensive care. It took a long time to recover.”

Luke’s treatment finished in 2008 but he has two-yearly check-ups to make sure he’s clear of any signs of the disease. He has just finished his first year at secondary school, loves gymnastics and is seen here in action and with his medals.

Claire added: “He wants to represent GB at the Olympics, that’s his dream.”

TOUGH TOT

CORKER AN occasional glass of red wine is healthy for the gut and helps good bacteria that lives there.

New research from King’s College London suggests polyphenols found in the tipple help feed useful microbes.

Scientists found just one glass every two weeks is enough to make a difference.

The study looked at thousands of people and found red wine drinkers had a more diverse gut bacteria.