ALANNAH HAS HER FIRST DAY BACK AT SCHOOL
THE first day back to school is an exciting and nerve-wracking time for any child - but for little Alannah Donnelly last week was a new beginning after a difficult year.
The seven-year-old returned to Dromara Primary School last Wednesday following a year of intensive chemotherapy after being diagnosed with leukemia last September.
And unlike most other children getting ready for school Alannah's morning began with a hospital appointment to check her progress ahead of a return to some sense of normality after a year of illness.
Alannah's mum Julie-Anne said it was an emotional day for her. "Alannah was diagnosed this time last year and only had a few days at school before she had to leave for her treatment," said the mum-of-two.
"It's been a long year but it is just great to see her back with friends and doing all the thing she's missed out on when she was off."
An eager Alannah had her uniform on and ready the evening before she started back, something Julie-Anne said is typical of her eldest daughter.
"She's so full of life and energy - she doesn't stop!She was so excited to be going back," she said. "I was definitely more nervous than she was!"
While Alannah eases back into a normal primary three school routine she continues to take chemotherapy medicine every single day to fight the ALL strain of leukemia she was diagnosed with twelve months ago, for which there is a 96 per cent recovery rate.
"She doesn't like taking the medicine," said Julie-Anne, who gives her a daily dose. "She keeps saying 'Mummy why do I have to take the medicine if I'm better and my hair's started to grow back?'"
The family are hopeful that a scan next year will reveal good results and give Alannah the all-clear so the bubbly young girl can get back to enjoying life.
"She'll have three-month checks and hopefully keep improving with every day," said Julie-Anne. "She's kept us going through it all and now we're just hoping for good news."
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Weather for Dromore
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 6 C to 19 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South east
