THE bravery of a little cancer patient from York has inspired a major fundraising drive to help other youngsters fight back, just like her.

Four-year-old Jennifer Pickering, of Haxby, was diagnosed with the rare childhood cancer neuroblastoma last October after developing pneumonia caused by her tumours.

She was admitted to St James's Hospital, in Leeds, where she underwent an operation to remove a large tumour in her chest, and five doses of chemotherapy to shrink another tumour in her spine.

Now Jennifer's mum Wendy, family and friends are fundraising to help other children living with cancer.

Mrs Pickering, 27, said she had not suspected her daughter was so seriously ill when she originally took her to the NHS Walk-In Centre, in Monkgate.

"She used to say her legs ached sometimes, but we just thought she was a little girl who wanted to be carried around," said Mrs Pickering.

"It was a shock to discover Jenny had cancer. There are four different stages of neuroblastoma, with four being the most severe. Jenny has stage three. I was told she had a 70 per cent chance of recovery and we started on chemo.

"The doctors don't want to operate on her spine, so she's having scans and they're going to keep an eye on it. It's a bit of an open book at the moment and we don't know if she'll need to have radiotherapy.

"I presume they'll have to operate at some stage."

Jennifer, who attends the Rising Fives playgroup in Haxby, is fed for 12 hours overnight through a special tube which also enables her to take medicines.

"She's inspirational," said Mrs Pickering. "She's taken it all so well, and even laughed about how she hasn't got any hair.

"She understands what's happening to her and she's amazing the way she copes with it all."

Jennifer's sister, Charlotte, seven, and brother Harry, five, have also been affected by her illness.

But their mother said: "They're more than happy to stay with their grandparents when I need to stay in hospital with Jenny, and the support we've had from family and friends has been brilliant."

Dr Adam Glaser, consultant paediatric oncologist at St James' Hospital in Leeds, said neuroblastoma is a cancer found almost exclusively in infants and young children.

Growths arise in nerve cells, which run in a chain down the back of the chest and abdomen.

As part of the fundraising effort sparked by Jennifer's illness, a wedding ball is being organised at York Racecourse for September 18. Guests will be encouraged to don their old wedding dresses or ball gowns and black tie, to raise money for the Neuroblastoma Cancer Society.

Mrs Pickering said: "If people want to help now they can call the Candlelighters Charity at St James's Hospital."

To call the Candlelighters office, phone 0113 2470372; to find out more about the wedding dress ball, go to www.weddingdressball.com

Updated: 10:43 Friday, May 21, 2004