A Moray teenager is facing the prospect of a gruelling 22-hour operation to have a leg amputated this month.
Dion Yates, from Lossiemouth, has been prescribed another round of chemotherapy to stave off cancer for the second time.
The 17-year-old was given the diagnosis in December that the tumour – which is in her hip – had grown, despite her undergoing bouts of intense chemotherapy.
However, doctors have come up with a new treatment plan to halt the progress of the illness that sees her suffer pain in her legs.
The teenager has already vowed to continue her kickboxing career even if she has a leg amputated to fight off the rare bone disease Ewing’s sarcoma.
While she initially feared the worst, her mum Kerry now has renewed hope her daughter will continue to win her battle with the rare illness.
She said: “We got devastating news that the chemotherapy was not working and there wasn’t anything they could do.
“However, we had a couple of meetings and they have changed the chemo – if that works, she’ll have another scan at the end of January.”
In the aftermath of the Lossiemouth kickboxing club raising £2,500 for the teenager through a 24-hour spar-a-thon, the family have received an invitation to an event being hosted by a martial arts club in Newcastle – where Dion is having to travel to for treatment.
She will have half her pelvis removed during the operation, which will involve a total of 15 specialist surgeons.
Although the “devastating” news was broken to the family, less than two weeks before Christmas, they have still been able to enjoy the festive season by visiting family in the north of England.
Mrs Yates added: “We have still had a lovely time. Dion has had one of her best friends visiting from London, so she has been in good spirits.
“The chemotherapy has made her feel very poorly, but she’s not the type to complain – she’s still in good form.”
