A TEN-YEAR-OLD girl temporarily separated from her identical twin sister inside a protective sterile bubble is being honoured for her bravery in overcoming cancer – twice.

The family of Amelia Wilson first discovered their little girl had cancer in September 2015 and immediately endured months of gruelling chemotherapy and its side effects.

She was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia – an aggressive and rare type of blood cancer usually found in elderly people.

The treatment for the Billingham youngster delivered at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) was successful and she was given the all clear in March 2016 to the delight of her twin, Gracie.

But one year on, Amelia was given her second cancer diagnosis in as many years and required a life-saving bone marrow transplant.

The surgery left her inside a sterile bubble, unable to have contact with visitors or her twin sister, in a bid to protect her weakened immune system.

The ten-year-old has braved her way back into remission and has since received a Star Award from Cancer Research UK Kids and Teens.

Amelia’s mother, Susan Wilson, 48, said: “Awards like this are a nice way to show Amelia how brave she has been throughout this experience and also to recognise the important part Gracie plays in keeping her going.

“Her bond with Gracie is as strong as ever and nothing will come between them.

“We just have to make sure we get Amelia home from her hospital appointments in time to pick Gracie up from school.

“Everyone there has been fantastic and really helped look after Gracie when Amelia was in the bubble. It’s all a juggling act.

“I’m no longer at work and if it wasn’t for the friendships we’ve made with families on the hospital ward I don’t know what we’d do.”

Little Amelia’s high risk of infection means she cannot attend St Paul’s Primary School with her sibling and is home-schooled instead to fit in with her three weekly appointments at the RVI.

A complication of her transplant has seen her lungs develop graft versus host disease (GvHD) as white blood cells in the donated bone marrow or stem cells attack the her own body cells.

Lisa Millett, spokeswoman for Cancer Research UK Kids and Teens, said: “Amelia is a real star – it is an absolute privilege to be able to recognise her courage by giving her this star award.

“She has been through so much at such a young age and continues to do so.

“Cancer can have a major impact on children and young people, and so many of them show incredible strength beyond their years during their journey.”