A COURAGEOUS little girl who ‘danced’ her way through a gruelling leukaemia battle has inspired her best friend to cut her hair off for charity.

Lucy McLellan from Greenock was only four when she was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL) — a rapid and aggressive type of cancer that affects the white blood cells. 

Despite the pain and discomfort she experienced through her two and half year chemotherapy treatment, she still attended Jackson Dance Academy — where she learns Highland and disco dancing.

In September last year, Lucy and her family received the news they were desperately waiting for when doctors gave her the all-clear.

Now, to celebrate, her best friend Olivia Thomson, who also attends the dance academy, has decided to cut her hair off for the Little Princess Trust — a charity which helped Lucy cope with hair loss during her treatment.

Lucy, who is now eight, said: “It’s a big surprise that Olivia is cutting her hair off.

“When I got my wig it helped me as I had hair again and I didn’t have people calling me a boy.

“Dancing helped me too. When I was in the hospital I wouldn’t stop, I just danced and danced.”

Olivia says Lucy has inspired her to cut her hair off for the charity as she saw how happy the wig made her friend.

She said: “Lucy is my best friend — she is sweet and kind.

“I wouldn’t like it if I had cancer and had no hair.

“So I want to help other children feel better.”

It was back in April 2013 when Lucy, who lives in Brachelston Street with her mum Gail Donnachie, her dad Frank McLellan and her brother Adam, 13, and sister Sophie, six, was diagnosed.

Her mum Gail, 46, said: “She had no symptoms apart from a sore ankle, that was it.

“We took her to A&E at Inverclyde Royal and they did an X-ray but nothing showed up.”

Three days later, Lucy’s parents took her back to hospital as the pain in her ankle got worse.

She said: “Lucy’s childminder phoned to say that she couldn’t put her shoes on because Lucy was in so much pain.

“They took her bloods and we were then sent to Yorkhill.

“The following day they did a bone marrow aspiration which confirmed that Lucy had Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia.

“We were devastated.”

Lucy’s dad Frank added: “We didn’t have time to process it as they started the chemotherapy the following day.

“It all happened so fast.”

Lucy, who attends St Patrick’s Primary School, was admitted to the Schiehallion Unit at Yorkhill where she began an intensive form of chemo.

Despite her ordeal, Lucy remained her bubbly, positive self.

Frank said: “I remember going up to the hospital to see her on my birthday.

“She was four weeks into her treatment but she got up and danced in the room because it was my birthday.

“It was amazing.”

Gail added: “She still went to Jackson Dance Academy.

“Dancing helped her feel normal and also helped her physically too as she had problems with bone density.

“Her dancing friends helped her, especially Olivia.

“Lucy’s teacher Linda Jackson was fantastic and all the dancing mums were a great support to me.”

After two and a half years of treatment, including eight months of intensive chemo and 18 months of maintenance, Lucy got the all-clear.

Frank said: “Obviously it was a big relief.

“But it also felt daunting as you’re getting all this support from the hospital so it’s difficult to accept that you’re not going to have that support.

“The Schiehallion unit were incredible.

“We have been so overwhelmed by the support Lucy has received from her friends and family, the NHS, the school and the dance school.

“We can’t thank everyone enough.”

The family say they are so moved by Olivia’s thoughtful gesture to cut her hair off.

Gail said: “I think what Olivia is doing is awesome.

“Lucy really liked the wig she received from the Little Princess Trust. It boosted her confidence.”

Frank added: “When the wig came, it enabled us to talk about her hair loss as a family.

“It also made us realise that we weren’t alone and that there were lots of other kids out there with cancer.”

Olivia, who lives with her mum Gillian Baynes, 32, dad Garry Thomson and her little brother Zach, in Aileymill Gardens, has so far raised £600 for the charity.

Her mum said: “Garry and I both love Olivia’s long hair and keep asking her if she is sure.

“But Olivia is so thoughtful, kind and always wanting to help others, she is 100 per cent sure she wants to give her hair to another princess.

“Her answer is it that her hair will grow back and that she made a little girl happy. 

“Me and Garry couldn’t be prouder and we will be cheering her on.”

Anyone who would like to donate to Olivia’s fundraising can do so online at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/gillian-baynes