A YOUNG cancer victim who is campaigning to raise awareness of the illness will today celebrate her ninth birthday by ‘tilting’ the Gateshead Millennium Bridge.

The famous structure will be lit up gold tonight in honour of Penny Armstrong, who has recently completed her second gruelling round of treatment for a Wilms Tumour.

Penny, and her mother, Lynsie, launched their campaign, Birtley Goes Gold, to tie in with Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and today schools and organisations in her hometown will be wearing gold or yellow to mark the occasion.

Ms Armstrong, who works at Dobbie’s Garden World in Birtley, said: “We often wear our gold ribbon for childhood cancer and not a lot of people know what they are for so we thought we would like to raise awareness in our community and let people know what it is about.”

Penny was first diagnosed with Wilms Tumour in her kidney in 2014 and underwent treatment at the RVI in Newcastle.

Last August, doctors found a tumour in her liver and she has since undergone surgery, stem cell treatment and high dose chemotherapy.

The youngster has spent so long in hospital she developed a stable fracture in her pelvis and osteoporosis.

Ms Armstrong said: “The high dose chemo left her bedridden, she could not walk or talk and she was in agony for three months.

“We had to do downstairs living. There was quite a lot of side effects.”

At the end of last month Penny went to an end of treatment party, riding in a limousine to Glow beauty salon in Pelton with family, friends and other youngsters from the region being treated in hospital.

This week, she has gone back to see fellow pupils at Portabello Primary School, which, last year, supported a family friend’s fundraising campaign to raise enough money to send Penny for a dream holiday to Disneyland Paris when she is strong enough.

Yesterday, ahead her visit to Millennium Bridge, Penny met the Mayor of Gateshead, Councillor Jill Green.

Ms Armstrong said: “She has been really strong throughout her treatment. You would think she would get upset, but she always had a smile on her face.

“She is an absolute inspiration.

“For her to come back and want to help others, I think, is amazing. She helped me at the hospital and I am in awe of how strong she is.

“She is my hero.”