Young Paige Hughes is "blossoming'' after finishing chemotherapy treatment.
Diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in September 2013, the 6-year-old will have her arterial portacath taken out next week.
It is the last vestige of a lengthy chemotherapy regime that started with an intense six weeks of treatment in Christchurch.
Her treatment finally finished in November last year, and Paige has has since had two clear blood tests.
Now, her attention is focused on her role as a national ambassador for the Child Cancer Foundation.
Paige, who lives in Dunedin, is one of the three ambassadors announced as the faces of the foundation's annual appeal this month.
Paige recently enjoyed meeting the other two ambassadors, who live in Wellington and Auckland.
Her mother, Sally Hughes, said the role was good for Paige's confidence, which suffered when she lost her hair in early 2014.
Now, she was "blossoming'', and enjoyed attending Grants Braes School.
Mrs Hughes and her husband, Chris, will be collecting for the street appeal; Mrs Hughes will be collecting today, and her husband will collect tomorrow.
Mrs Hughes said she wanted to give something back to the foundation to acknowledge its incredible support for families.
Many people did not know about the foundation unless they had the misfortune to have a child with cancer, she said.
Mrs Hughes had made some strong friendships with other affected families.
Mrs Hughes said the family had a "dream run'' through Paige's treatment.
Coping with mood swings while Paige had to take steroids was probably the hardest part.
Cancer was also tough for siblings - Paige has an older brother.
The foundation ran a camp for brothers and sisters of cancer sufferers.
"We're so grateful to the Child Cancer Foundation for the emotional and financial support.''
On Paige's fourth birthday, she fell down stairs.
Her arm was put in a cast.
It was the first of many injuries that made the family realise there was a problem.
A month later she was in hospital with a suspected irritable hip, and in July there was another trip to the doctor to examine a problem with her elbow.
In August of that year she was back in hospital with a suspected bone infection.
"We were going back and forwards to the GPs, the after-hours clinic and the hospital. Paige wasn't sleeping; none of us were. She was constantly crying from the pain and we were all exhausted,'' Mrs Hughes said.
Tests in Dunedin were inconclusive, so the family was transferred to Christchurch for further testing, where the diagnosis was made.
While Mrs Hughes was with Paige during her treatment in Christchurch in late 2013, Mr Hughes was having back surgery in Dunedin.
"With Paige and I based in Christchurch for such a long time and Chris incapacitated with his back, we were so grateful to the support we received from friends, family and the wider community.''
Appeal month
Child Cancer Foundation Appeal month
• On average, more than three children in New Zealand are diagnosed with cancer each week.
• Child Cancer Foundation is assisting more than 500 families
• Foundation supports families in hospital and at home
• Appeal month raises money for the foundation, and awareness of its work.
