Teenager Libby Waite first noticed something was wrong with her health on a family holiday to Florida. She felt exhausted the entire time and struggled to walk the shortest of diatances.

And once she returned home and her friends spotted a lump on her neck while admiring her necklace, she knew something more sinister was going on.

After seeing her GP, who sent Libby for blood tests, a private scan and biopsy revealed she had cancer.

She was immediately referred to the Noah's Ark Children's Hospital for Wales in Cardiff where she was diagnosed with the blood cancer Hodgkin lymphoma.

"As a teenage girl, my first concern was about how it would affect my appearance. I was scared I would lose my hair," Libby said.

Her mum Joanne added: "As a mother it's your worst nightmare. I felt like I had my guts wrenched out, it was awful."

Unfortunately, Libby's first few weeks in hospital took a dramatic turn when she contracted sepsis because of her suppressed immune system caused by the first dose of chemotherapy.

"I was so shocked. The doctors had first thought she would have very little side-effects, so no-one expected that reaction," mum Joanne explained.

"One minute she was sat having breakfast, the next she went quiet and unresponsive. It was frightening."

As a result of the sepsis, Libby's lung also collapsed and she had to spend two weeks in intensive care while she recovered.

Libby was eventually able to leave hospital on Christmas Eve 2015.

"Although it had been scary it was so nice to be able to get home for Christmas," said Libby.

Libby, now 18, from Pontypool, returned to hospital where she was able to continue with a different type of chemotherapy.

Despite having four doses, tests revealed that the cancer had not gone away, so she was referred to a specialist consultant in London who recommended immunotherapy - a treatment which uses a persons own modified cells to treat cancer.

It is thought that Libby was one of the first patients in Wales to receive the relatively new treatment back in 2016.

Libby had a stem cell transplant where her own cells were harvested, treated and planted back in to her body to fight the cancer.

This required a three-week isolation period where her immune system was completely supressed.

Unfortunately, Libby did lose her hair as a result of the earlier chemotherapy treatment, but she said: "It actually wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I had a really cool wig and I was able to use make-up for my eyebrows."

Thankfully the treatment was successful and Libby is now in remission after a long recuperation period at home while she gathered her strength.

She recalled: "I felt so weak, I was confined to the sofa for weeks and I had to rebuild my strength to walk again"

Eventually Libby said she was was able to return to school and sit her GCSEs and go to her year 11 prom.

"Going to prom was the first time I finally felt like a young person again," she admitted.

"I just wanted to go out with my friends and do everything they were doing."

Libby, who is currently applying for university, is now helping Cancer Research UK launch Race for Life at Home in Wales to help carry on the fight against the disease in these unprecedented times.

She took part in her local Race for Life 5k event in Cwmbran in 2017 after her treatment.

The Cwmbran event is among many which the organisers have postponed this spring and summer to protect the countrys health during the coronavirus outbreak.

But as the nation continues on lockdown, undeterred women and men are already vowing to carry on and complete a Race for Life at Home challenge at home, in their garden or their nearest green space.

Many of the scientists and researchers funded by Cancer Research UK are currently being redeployed to help in the fight against Covid-19, including assisting with testing.

By helping to beat coronavirus, the charity said it can lessen the impact it is having on the care of cancer patients.

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Cassandra Miles, Cancer Research UKs spokeswoman for Wales, said: "At a time when it feels like everything is at a standstill, there is one thing that hasnt stopped, cancer.

"Our priority as a charity is ensuring that people affected by cancer are getting the support they need right now.

"But we are already getting people asking about doing Race for Life at Home because they dont want to see the charity lose out on vital funding. Its truly humbling to see the response.

"So from their homes, wed love for supporters to join us and Race for Life at Home in these challenging times.

"From a run or 5K walk around the garden to limbo in the living room, there is no wrong way to Race for Life at Home. With no entry fee, people might choose to twerk, limbo, star jump, squat, skip, dance, or come up with their own novel way of taking part and share it with friends. The message is very much that while we might be apart, were doing this together. There is no wrong way to get involved and join our community.

"Those lucky enough to have a garden may choose to make use of it but whatever people decide to do, we are immensely grateful for the support, now more than ever. If the idea takes off, we could be looking at hundreds of people in Wales stepping forward to Race for Life at Home and perhaps collecting sponsorship to do so."

People can visit raceforlife.org and sign up free for ideas on how they can create their own Race for Life at Home challenge.

And the Cancer Research UK Race for Life Facebook page will help people feel energised with weekly live workout sessions.

Organisers are also inviting participants to join the Race for Life at Home community by sharing photos and videos on social media using the hashtag, #RaceForLifeAtHome.

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The teenager who survived cancer, sepsis and a collapsed lung - Wales Online