A GROUP of young people are staging a fundraising swim with an 11-year-old girl who is in remission from cancer.

Naomi Savage, from Northallerton, has been in remission from cancer since 2008. After being diagnosed with a brain tumour at the age of four, she underwent intensive chemotherapy and three brain operations.

Since then her family have been involved in fundraising for research into the cancer. Brain tumours kill more children and people under the age of 40 than any other form of cancer.

Despite this, Naomi’s mother, Lucy Savage, says brain cancer lacks the research funding or awareness of other forms of cancer and is on the increase.

A year after Naomi’s diagnosis, she set up Naomi’s Fight for Life Fund to raise cash for research. The organisation is now an umbrella group of the charity Brain Tumour Research.

Naomi still has regular scans in hospital, as brain cancer needs to be in remission for ten years before patients are given the all-clear.

Mrs Savage said: “We’re still trying to raise awareness – not just frighten people – by giving out HeadSmart cards which raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of brain tumours. There is some slight improvement in awareness; we are finding GPs are picking up brain tumour symptoms sooner than before.”

Youngsters from local primary and secondary schools in Northallerton and Stokesley are to join Naomi in staging a sponsored swim on Thursday, April 23 to raise money for Brain Tumour Research.

The children, from Romanby Primary, Stokesley School and Allertonshire School, are aged between nine and 14 and will aim to swim as far as they can within an hour.

Mrs Savage, who works as a nurse said: “What's nice is that this is the first time Naomi, who is in her first year at the Allertonshire, is organising much of this herself. She will be swimming a mile which is great.

“Seeing her swim in her honours swimming lessons when she had to give up her lessons in level one way back when, is really encouraging.

“It’s nice the kids are all doing this event themselves.”

The swim will take place at Hambleton Leisure Centre in Northallerton.

To sponsor the children, visit the JustGiving page: Justgiving.com/Kids-swimagainstcancer or text ANRS66 and £donation to 70070. It is also on Facebook. Donations can still be made to 'Naomi's Fight for Life Fund' at Northallerton branch of HSBC.