Broughty Ferry teenager Scarlett Harper is looking forward to cosying up with her family this Christmas while they all watch their favourite festive film ‘National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation’.
It will be a very special moment for the 16-year-old because this will be her first Christmas cancer-free – having beaten the disease twice in the past two and a half years.
Last December the Grove Academy pupil was still undergoing chemotherapy treatment.
But this year she is looking forward to enjoying the festive season at home.
“I love Christmas – it’s my favourite time of year,” Scarlett says.
“Every Christmas Eve we watch National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation – it’s our tradition.
“We all get matching pyjamas too – me, my twin brother Jude, my mum and my gran!
“I’m really grateful to still be here to be able to enjoy this Christmas with my family.”
When was Scarlett first diagnosed with cancer?
In early 2022 Scarlett started getting pain in her left elbow.
Her mum Leila, 51, who works as a nurse at Ninewells Hospital, explains: “The pain just kept getting worse.
“I took her to A & E at Ninewells where they did an X-ray and then an MRI scan.
“We knew there was something wrong, but we didn’t know what it was.”
Scarlett was referred to The Royal Hospital for Children and Young People in Edinburgh where she had a biopsy.
A few weeks later, Leila received a call from the hospital informing her that her 13-year-old daughter had Ewing sarcoma – a type of bone or soft tissue cancer that primarily occurs in children and young adults.
Scarlett says: “For me it was a case of just getting on with it.
“I didn’t want to sit there feeling sorry for myself.”
What treatment did Scarlett have?
Scarlett’s treatment plan included 12 courses of chemotherapy.
She also had an operation to remove the tumour from her elbow.
“She had a few stays in intensive care while having chemotherapy because she was so ill,” Leila explains.
“They took the tumour out, along with part of her elbow, and replaced it with titanium under the skin.
“Scarlett had six more chemo sessions after that.”
However, due to her blood platelets being so low during chemotherapy, Scarlett had retinal bleeds behind both eyes.
She later had eye surgery at Ninewells Hospital.
But she has been left with a visual impairment due to the damage caused.
‘Ringing the bell’ and a party to celebrate
Scarlett rang the bell at the Edinburgh Royal in February 2023 marking the end of her cancer treatment.
And in October 2023, Scarlett travelled to Rome on holiday with her family.
But two weeks before she went she started feeling unwell.
When they returned home, Leila insisted Scarlett have her bloods taken at hospital.
Being diagnosed with cancer for a second time
Leila and Scarlett were heading out for Christmas lunch when the Edinburgh Royal called insisting Scarlett go in straight away.
“Her consultant told us that she had developed acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) – a type of blood cancer,” Leila says.
“Scarlett had to have emergency chemotherapy.”
Scarlett tried to stay positive, but admits she was scared.
“I was really frightened because I thought I might die.
“The first thing I said to the consultant was: Am I going to die?
“But the consultant said they would try their very best for that not to happen.”
Stem cell transplant
Scarlett was also told she would need a stem cell transplant.
Fortunately a donor was found and Scarlett had the transplant at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow in March.
A few weeks later, Scarlett was finally able to go home to Broughty Ferry.
Since then she has been recovering.
And in September, Scarlett, who is in S5, was able to return to school full-time for the first time in three years.
‘Elvis is my best friend’
As well as her family, someone else who has played an important role in Scarlett’s recovery is her two-year-old golden retriever, Elvis.
She got him after finishing her treatment for Ewing sarcoma last year.
Scarlett says: “I had always wanted a big dog and when I saw a golden retriever smile at me I thought that’s the one for me.
“Elvis has been really good with me throughout my treatment – I love him, we are best friends.”
However, Scarlett’s biggest supporter throughout her fight with cancer has been her mum.
Leila has taken a career break from work this past year so she could be there for her daughter.
Scarlett adds: “Having gone through this it’s made me realise how important family is.
“My mum has been my number one.
“She has been there for me throughout – I couldn’t have got through it without her.”
Conversation