When Dennison Packer was diagnosed with a brain tumour in June last year his world was shattered.

Critical surgery - including a 12-hour operation - chemotherapy, radiotherapy, relentless hospital stays and visits, and a long road to recovery was what he faced.

But with what he describes as “the brilliance and kindness of the medical teams coupled with the amazing love and support of my family, friends and my school” he has battled back from the brink.

The 18-year-old from Ramsgate has now been publicly acknowledged for his courage and determination with a Diana Princess of Wales Award, which he received at a ceremony in London. He said: "The award is a great honour, but there are so many more deserving people than me."

His mother Diana, said: "We are so proud of his determination and his courage. He’s a fighter and even at his lowest, he showed a rare spirit.”

Dennison says his friends "never let me get down" and a fund-raising concert at St George’s School in Broadstairs raised more than £1,000 towards his Cancer Research charity campaign through the Just Giving website, where the total stands at more than £3,100.

He said: “Being in a situation that was pretty dire, to say the least, you look at yourself and do a lot of thinking. It has certainly changed me, and rather than just sitting around playing on the computer, I now get on and make each day count. “I have learnt to jet ski, ride a quad bike and flew on an aircraft for the first time as an 18th birthday trip to Canada to meet someone I met on the Internet seven years ago."

He plans to complete his disrupted A level studies from September and his goal remains university and a new-founded desire to work with people.

To find out more about Dennison’s story, read his web log at www.justgiving.com/denneejp