A TRAFFORD schoolgirl who has learned to walk again has been recognised with a special star award.

Five-year-old Kira Percival, from Timperley, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in August, 2017, before her long battle with the life-threatening condition.

She has now been recognised with a Star Award from Cancer Research UK Kids & Teens, in partnership with TK Maxx.

Recalling how it all happened, Kira’s mum, Suzanne, initially put her symptoms down to other things and thought that bumps on her body had been caused by a toy car at nursery.

When Kira turned ghostly white, Suzanne thought she might be anaemic and so Kira’s grandparents took her to their GP.

Then, over a weekend, Kira had a high temperature and was taken to A&E at Wythenshawe Hospital where a blood test confirmed leukaemia and she was transferred to Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.

Kira had a lumbar puncture, four blood transfusions and months of intensive chemotherapy at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.

Suzanne said: “Her treatment left her weak and unable to walk and she spent a couple of months of only being able to lie in bed or on the sofa.

“She had to learn to walk again. She had a little Zimmer frame which she hated, but luckily we had a great physio who held her hands and helped her and after a couple of months she was able to walk again.

“She didn’t mind losing her hair, but now it is growing back she says she wants to keep growing it and growing it ­— so she looks like Rapunzel!”

Kira will finish her treatment in December, 2019, and the family are planning a dream trip to Disneyland Florida in 2020.

The awards are open to all under-18s who currently have cancer or have been treated for the disease in the last five years.

See a video of Kira at youtube.com/watch?v=E5sIip5XE3I&feature=youtu.be