More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
A brave teenager is determined to learn to walk again after losing her leg to an aggressive type of cancer.
Annabel Stevens was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a rare bone cancer, in her right leg in January.
There are only 530 new cases of the disease each year.
By March the cancer had spread to her veins and she had to have her leg amputated at the middle of her thigh.
The 16-year-old, of Greenfield Road, Gillingham, will now have chemotherapy and other treatments until October at University College Hospital in London.
But Annabel, who was diagnosed with autism when she was six, is determined not to let the treatment get her down.
When first admitted to hospital she decided to shave her head and donate her hair to The Little Princess Trust, so it could be made into a wig for someone else.
Earlier this month she had a fitting for her first prosthetic leg and will start learning to walk again when it arrives in a few weeks.
She is one of the first children have a prosthetic leg made with a knee that is able to rotate.
Her dad Matthew Stevens, 45, talked about her bravery.
He said: “When she was waiting before the amputation surgery she must have heard me say that I felt useless. I’m a dad and we want to fix things.
“She sent me a message the next day on Facebook saying ‘Thank you for being there for me daddy’.
"That really pulled on the heartstrings. She is coping really well.
"Trying to explain everything to her was quite difficult but when her social worker explained that other young girls donate their hair she said ‘can I do that?’
“She remains in very high spirits and has been very positive.
“She has off days where she cries, which is quite upsetting, but in a way it is her that has kept me and her mother going – she has kept us strong.”
Annabel is a pupil at Bradfields Academy in Churchill Avenue, Chatham and Mr Stevens praised the school for its support.
“She sent me a message on Facebook saying ‘Thank you for being there for me daddy’ that really pulled on the heartstrings" - Matthew Stevens
“They have kept in contact the whole time. They had a teacher at the hospital and they’ve been sending homework for her to keep up when she feels up to doing in,” he said.
He said that when Annabel comes out of hospital the family, including mum Janine and big brother Andre, 22, will probably have to move house as it is not suitable for her needs.
They are also hoping to take her on a special holiday to Disneyworld in Florida at the end of the year, to celebrate making it through the difficult time.
The family hopes people will donate money to help them with the cost of flights and the park tickets as they already have a place to stay.
Mr Stevens said: “I think she is looking forward to meeting all the characters, especially the Frozen ones.
"She tells me off for singing the wrong words to Let It Go – you can imagine what I sing.
“She also really wants to swim with the dolphins.”
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