Published: Thursday, 20th May, 2010 7:05am

Daniella's help for kids with cancer

THE night before she was diagnosed with cancer, Dalgety Bay girl Daniella Dinolfi was playing squash.

She was out of breath but continued smashing the ball around the court telling concerned opponent, dad Rico, "I'm fine".

This astonished renowned cancer specialist Dr Hamish Wallace.

He couldn't believe the 12-year-old still had the energy to play despite unknowingly having advanced Hodgkin's lymphona.

He told Rico, "I don't know how the hell she could've played squash.

"In another couple of weeks her organs potentially could've stopped."

Now, six months after being diagnosed and having completed chemotherapy brave Daniella is on the mend and showing similar energy by helping other children with cancer.

Cancer Research are looking into publishing a booklet she compiled from notes of her daily battle offering tips to help other children come to terms with having it.

And not only that, the determined Inverkeithing High School pupil completed a charity walk recently with mum Dhana (34) in South Queensferry, despite being weakened by months of being bed-bound.

Rico (36) said, "She physically couldn't get out of her bed that morning - she literally dragged herself out and completed the 5k walk with Dhana to raise money because she didn't want to let people down.

"With the booklet, she wrote about what she went through as regards how she was feeling and what she experienced because it was like a whirlwind - you're at school then all of a sudden you're in hospital with a situation a lot of adults couldn't deal with, let alone a child. Everything becomes a blur so it's good she kept a diary.

"There are other children out there with cancer and if they or their parents can get any hope or strength from it that would be great."

He added, "She's not been given the all-clear but if you see her now she looks a picture of health as far as I'm concerned."

Daniella wrote her thoughts down on an A5 pad during long days spent at the Edinburgh Sick Kids Hospital.

She told the Press it helped give her strength as she went through chemotherapy, which Rico described as "abysmal".

She said, "My mum gave me the idea but I put it together and into my own words ... it gave me something to do."

One excerpt reads, "This experience has made me a much stronger person and has pulled my family closer together and made us realise not to take small everyday things for granted.

"We now even appreciate sitting down for a meal as a family and cherish these moments as these are the things you greatly miss."

The booklet gives clear advice about all stages of Hodgkin's lymphona from coping with chemotherapy to dealing with the side effects.

Daniella, who finished a three-week course of radiotherapy recently, is back at the family home in Wayfarers Drive and continues to improve.

Mark Bennett, chair of the Cancer Research local committee in Dalgety Bay, is keen to help get Daniella's booklet published as a guide to help other children understand the experience of childhood cancer.

He said, "For someone so young, Daniella's a shining light of encouragement to all those who get cancer.

"(The booklet) is a great help for anyone who's unfortunate enough to be diagnosed.

"It is proof that you can do well and beat it."