BRAVE Katie Dodd — left paralysed by an aggressive tumour — is celebrating being cancer-free for a year.

The six-year-old has conquered chemotherapy and surgery, and is now fighting to walk again.

The Farnworth youngster — who went to America last year for revolutionary Proton Beam Therapy — is back at Highfield Primary School and growing her hair as long as she can.

Her mum Rebecca Dodd said: “It was a terrible time and very frightening for all of us.

“She’s been through such a lot. Katie’s doing really well and trying to catch up as best she can at school.

“She’s been cancer free for a year now, which is obviously a huge relief.

“She loves it because her hair is growing back. She keeps saying she wants it longer.”

Mrs Dodd, and Katie’s father Lee, remember all too well the morning that Katie woke up and told them she could not move her legs.

Doctors discovered a tumour pressing on her spinal cord and confirmed she had Ewings Sarcoma — a rare bone cancer.

It marked the start of a gruelling course of treatment for Katie.

Just four hours after diagnosis, she started the first of 14 cycles of chemotherapy.

Yet experts feared it would not be enough to beat the tumour and referred her for Proton Beam Therapy — an advanced form of radiotherapy not available in the UK.

When they were given the go-ahead in February last year, the family travelled to Florida so that Katie could have the life-changing treatment.

Although Katie can stand and support her body weight with a frame, she still cannot walk independently.

Mrs Dodd, of Seathwaite Road, added: “Certain things are still difficult for her. She’s still working really hard in hydrotherapy to get her mobility back.

“I think she is more conscious of wearing splints on her legs. It’s things like that she finds difficult.

“We just hope over the years the nerves in her body heal themselves. Katie is determined to not let anything stop her.”