Llandovery College Prep School pupil Amelie Kessels has been awarded a Gold Blue Peter badge for showing bravery in her fight against cancer and for helping other children battling the disease

A Gold badge is a very rare award and each year only a few children receive it.

Amelie received her award for the bravery she showed while enduring punishing surgery and for her selfless attitude in fundraising for cancer charities while she was poorly.

In April 2017 Amelie was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumour and was immediately transferred to The Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital in Cardiff (the only Children’s Hospital in Wales) for emergency surgery to remove it. This was then followed by months of gruelling radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Shortly after diagnosis Amelie decided that she would like to help other children and families in the same situation and, when she was 10 years old, she set up the charitable fund ‘Amelie’s Rainbow’.

Before she started chemotherapy Amelie donated her hair to the Little Princess Trust to be made into real-hair wigs for other children undergoing chemotherapy.

Her fellow Llandovery College pupils showed their support for Amelie by holding a sponsored silence and a 24-hour rowathon to raise funds for her fund. All of the m money raised by ‘Amelie’s Rainbow’ goes to the Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital Charity.

Llandovery College Warden Guy Ayling said: “Courage and compassion are important values at the College and Amelie’s example of the power of both is inspirational – we are so proud of her.”

So far Amelie’s Rainbow has raised £32,000 and anyone wishing to make a donation can do so by going to the Go Fund Me page.