A 12 year old leukaemia survivor from Helston who helped raise hundreds of thousands for CLIC Sargent has spoken of her aims to help even more children suffering with serious illnesses.

Leanna Williams, from Mullion School, was recently recognised for her bravery and her fundraising efforts when she was awarded the Mayor of Helston's Junior Citizen award at the town's annual civic service, and now she wants to take her experience and use it for the good of others.

Leanna underwent two years of treatment after being diagnosed with leukaemia at just six months old, and then had to go back to hospital in Bristol when she relapsed, including 94 weeks in isolation where her mother was the only one able to be with her.

Now she wants to develop a website where ill children can contact her and she will write a reply, in order to help fight the loneliness that those with serious conditions can sometimes feel.

She said: "I want to help children who are poorly, and have cancer, or are depressed, to get a letter that's really reassuring. I really would have liked one when I was little.

"Not an email, a letter in the post, handwritten, because it's more precious or special to get one handwritten."

Leanna spent a long time in hospital in Bristol as a child, and is very grateful to CLIC Sargent for all the support they provided.

This included temporary accommodation for her mother Amy and father David, and after her little sister Charlotte was born she became the first baby to be allowed into an isolation ward, where she stayed until Leanna was better.

She has done lots of fundraising work for the charity since, from cake sales at school appearing in a Christmas appeal on This Morning and a short film on ITV’s Text Santa.

Andrew Cooper, CLIC Sargent assistant director of services, said: “We’re so proud of Leanna and her passion for supporting other children and young people with cancer.

"Sharing her story in this way really helped us raise awareness of the charity and what we do."

Helen Matthis, assistant head teacher at Mullion School who nominated Leanna for her recent award described her as positive "despite the challenges she faces," a girl who "never complains and always wants to please others."

Leanna is still "poorly," and is on regular medication with five injections a day, but said: "I love life. I don't mind having all the injections because it's nothing compared to what happened before."

She wants to spread the message to children suffering from theses illnesses that "it can get better."

"I want to support that message. If you think about the worst things in life, they're not that bad, and it can only get better."

While Leanna is determined to write all the letters herself, unless she gets truly overwhelmed, she has said she needs help with the technical side of setting up the website, as she is "not the best with websites."

If you think you might be able to help Leanna, contact her mother, Amy, on 07879 440 679.