THE family of terminally-ill schoolgirl Charlotte Wakeham are today celebrating a milestone.

It is 12 months ago that Charlotte, eight, was diagnosed with brain stem glioma, a rare form of cancer that has no cure.

Doctors gave the schoolgirl from Westbury only four months to live.

But Charlotte's determination, together with an anti-depressant drug she is taking, means she is alive and well.

Charlotte's grandmother, Wendy Bryant of Devizes, said: "The doctors we saw last May said it was a case of them doing all they could for Charlotte but there wasn't any hope long-term for her, they said she had a few months."

Charlotte's brain tumour is inoperable and after undergoing four weeks of radiotherapy she has been taking daily doses of chloripramine, an anti-depressant, ever since.

Ms Bryant and Charlotte's parents, Bill and Alison, and younger brother Leigh, five, received good news last month when a brain scan revealed Charlotte's tumour had shrunk.

There is renewed hope that chloripramine could be a cure for brain cancers. A recent scan on a 16-year-old boy from London, who had the same brain tumour, showed his tumour had gone after he took chloripramine.

But Charlotte's family remain cautious. Ms Bryant said: "The doctors can't say if chloripramine is going to cure her. Maybe it will but we can't rely on it.

"We have got a better outlook a year down the line and all we can do now is look forward to this time next year and hope Charlotte is still here."

Since Charlotte developed the cancer she is not as agile as she was but she is determined to do as much as she can.

After half term she plans to increase the amount of time she goes to Paxcroft School, Trowbridge, to five afternoons a week.

When Charlotte was diagnosed Ms Bryant set up Charlotte's Chance Of Life Fund with the immediate aim to raise enough money to send her on a dream holiday to Disneyworld, in Florida.

The response was phenomenal and more than £30,000 has been raised.

Charlotte enjoyed the trip to Disneyworld in August and now the charity is giving donations to the families of other terminally ill children.

Ms Bryant intends to continue to fundraise.

She said: "Families of children with cancer and other terminal illnesses are going through a living hell every day. These are the people we want to try and help with the charity."