Her brown eyes are sparkling with life. But while seven-year-old Chloe Harrison looks a picture of health now, not long ago it was a desperately different story.
She was hit by cancer three times in two years and was not expected to survive – but has astounded doctors with her fighting spirit.
Chloe has now been given the all-clear. And her family believe she defeated the kidney, stomach and lung tumours with her bravery and determination.
Her mother Debra, 37, said yesterday: "She never gave up, never complained and was braver than the rest of the family put together. She had four life-saving operations and came through them all by positive thinking."
Mrs Harrison first noticed Chloe was poorly in November 2003, when she suffered cramps and wheezing. But doctors put it down to asthma.
"By July, she was still in a terrible state," said Mrs Harrison. "No doctor could fathom it.
"Finally, we were referred to a specialist and as he felt her stomach I could see the look on his face. I knew something was desperately wrong."
Doctors found a lump the size of a melon on Chloe's kidney.
"When they said it was a tumour, I felt sick," said Mrs Harrison.
"It was absolutely enormous. The whole family was crying and Chloe was just looking up at me, tears of horror in her eyes. She was terrified, but determined not to let it beat her."
Chloe had a seven-hour operation to remove the tumour and her right kidney. Her parents hoped the cancer had gone.
But less than a year later, in April 2005, doctors found lots of small tumours on her lungs.
Her mother said: "We were devastated. We thought Chloe was on the road to recovery, but the cancer had hit her again – even harder this time.
"Doctors said it was unlikely she would survive the year, but Chloe refused to let the disease get to her. Her determination was unwavering. She never gave up hope."
Chloe had a second operation in November 2005 to remove the lung tumours and doctors declared it a success.
But just a month later, the Harrisons – who also have a son Liam, ten – were heartbroken to discover that the cancer had returned in Chloe’s lung and stomach.
She had a further two operations in October 2006 to finally rid her body of the disease.
Mr Harrison, a 53-year-old factory worker, said: "It was the biggest blow when we found out the cancer had returned. She looked at me, her eyes swimming with tears and said, 'I’m not going to get better Daddy, am I?'
"My heart split in two for her. It just didn't seem fair. Chloe was a nice kid who always did well at school.
"She went to hell and back with all that treatment. Every day I wished I could do something for her, something to take the pain away.
"But she dealt with it all marvellously, never complained. She even asked me once what my chemo was like when I was a boy. She thought it was just part of growing up.
"I had to hold back the tears as I explained that not everyone has to go through the suffering she has.
"After the op, I didn't even consider that she might be all better now. The cancer had come and gone again so many times, I just couldn't even contemplate that she might get better. It just seemed never ending."
But Chloe's health started to improve and a scan in December showed the cancer had disappeared.
"All of a sudden she was full of energy again," said her father at the family home in Neath, South Wales.
"She started to become her old self. With bated breath we waited for the results of the scan. When doctors told us she was tumour-free, I nearly wept with joy.
"After months of despair and worry, it feels wonderful to know that finally Chloe is free.
"It's like a weight has been lifted off the entire family. We have our Chloe back."
She was hit by cancer three times in two years and was not expected to survive – but has astounded doctors with her fighting spirit.
Chloe has now been given the all-clear. And her family believe she defeated the kidney, stomach and lung tumours with her bravery and determination.
Her mother Debra, 37, said yesterday: "She never gave up, never complained and was braver than the rest of the family put together. She had four life-saving operations and came through them all by positive thinking."
Mrs Harrison first noticed Chloe was poorly in November 2003, when she suffered cramps and wheezing. But doctors put it down to asthma.
"By July, she was still in a terrible state," said Mrs Harrison. "No doctor could fathom it.
"Finally, we were referred to a specialist and as he felt her stomach I could see the look on his face. I knew something was desperately wrong."
Doctors found a lump the size of a melon on Chloe's kidney.
"When they said it was a tumour, I felt sick," said Mrs Harrison.
"It was absolutely enormous. The whole family was crying and Chloe was just looking up at me, tears of horror in her eyes. She was terrified, but determined not to let it beat her."
Chloe had a seven-hour operation to remove the tumour and her right kidney. Her parents hoped the cancer had gone.
But less than a year later, in April 2005, doctors found lots of small tumours on her lungs.
Her mother said: "We were devastated. We thought Chloe was on the road to recovery, but the cancer had hit her again – even harder this time.
"Doctors said it was unlikely she would survive the year, but Chloe refused to let the disease get to her. Her determination was unwavering. She never gave up hope."
Chloe had a second operation in November 2005 to remove the lung tumours and doctors declared it a success.
But just a month later, the Harrisons – who also have a son Liam, ten – were heartbroken to discover that the cancer had returned in Chloe’s lung and stomach.
She had a further two operations in October 2006 to finally rid her body of the disease.
Mr Harrison, a 53-year-old factory worker, said: "It was the biggest blow when we found out the cancer had returned. She looked at me, her eyes swimming with tears and said, 'I’m not going to get better Daddy, am I?'
"My heart split in two for her. It just didn't seem fair. Chloe was a nice kid who always did well at school.
"She went to hell and back with all that treatment. Every day I wished I could do something for her, something to take the pain away.
"But she dealt with it all marvellously, never complained. She even asked me once what my chemo was like when I was a boy. She thought it was just part of growing up.
"I had to hold back the tears as I explained that not everyone has to go through the suffering she has.
"After the op, I didn't even consider that she might be all better now. The cancer had come and gone again so many times, I just couldn't even contemplate that she might get better. It just seemed never ending."
But Chloe's health started to improve and a scan in December showed the cancer had disappeared.
"All of a sudden she was full of energy again," said her father at the family home in Neath, South Wales.
"She started to become her old self. With bated breath we waited for the results of the scan. When doctors told us she was tumour-free, I nearly wept with joy.
"After months of despair and worry, it feels wonderful to know that finally Chloe is free.
"It's like a weight has been lifted off the entire family. We have our Chloe back."