A TEENAGER with a life-threatening illness has enjoyed her school prom before undergoing major treatment this week.

Nioni Grant, 16, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), in January, and has spent five months undergoing treatment at Leeds General Infirmary.

The Manor CE Academy pupil was scheduled for a cord stem cell transplant this week, but doctors arranged the timing of the treatment to ensure she could attend her school prom on Tuesday.

Rosie Quinn, Nioni's mother, said the decision had delighted Nioni, and meant she could start treatment in a positive mood.

She said: "We have spent so much time together and it's brought us a lot closer together but before Nioni was diagnosed she did a lot of things which she can't do at the moment. For the last few days I've let her go and see her friends and have a bit of normality before she goes back into hospital. I think she needed it. I was worried how much it would take out of her but it's the last time she'll see a lot of her school friends and I think that's important.

"I was hoping the transplant would be at the beginning of June then it was going to be the 21st or 22nd, and Nioni said it was her prom that week, so the doctor managed to change it again for her until the 25th and her face just lit up."

Nioni joined her friends at York Racecourse on Tuesday, before being readmitted to start six days of chemotherapy at the LGI on Thursday. She will have a rest day on Wednesday, before the transplant starts on July 3.

Rosie said: "She was really looking forward to the prom. At 3.20am the morning before she was still up watching television because she couldn't sleep.

"She looked amazing, I couldn't believe it. He had such a good time. Because it's the last time that year's going to be together at least she's had her goodbye with them. It's definitely helped her. She had a really good time and I think she saw the pictures in the Press. Everything's fine up to now. Just hoping it will all go without a hitch."