Sixteen-year-old Kirsty Davis was diagnosed with a benign brain tumour aged just three.

She underwent major surgery, but the pressure of the tumour on her optic nerve reduced her vision to two small tunnels of light.

However, her limited vision has not stopped Kirsty achieving her greatest ambition as this summer, she landed the GCSE grades she needed to do photography at A-Level.

Kirsty and her dad Keith will now both be taking part in the 2008 Big Swim at University of Nottingham to raise funds for The Children's Brain Tumour Research Centre (CBTRC), where Kirsty was treated.

Kirsty, who is still a patient at the CBTRC, which is based at the Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham, said: "I've never let my problems get in the way of doing something I wanted to do.

"This event will be my opportunity to do something for young people like me and to raise money for all important research to improve their chances of survival and the treatments available to them."

And dad Keith added: "Kirsty lost a lot of her childhood as a result of this disease. The feelings we have for the parents of children going through what we did are heartfelt — it changes your entire life.

"Without research perhaps we wouldn't have Kirsty. Now she lives life at full throttle and taking part in this year's Big Swim is our way of saying thank you."

Anyone wanting to register to take part in the 2008 Big Swim on 20th September should visit www.bigswim.org.uk.