'I'm proud of my scars' - teenage cancer survivor

"When I heard the words 'you have cancer', one of the first things that popped into my head was, 'am I going to lose my hair?'"

Gaby Maurice was 13 years old when a tumour grew in her jaw muscle and spread to her mouth.

The teenager, from Cambridgeshire, was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma - an aggressive type of cancer that primarily affects children. But after nine chemotherapy cycles and various surgeries, she has been in remission for two years and no longer needs medication.

The now 17-year-old wants to raise awareness around how treatment can affect young people's self-esteem, after changes in her appearance made her feel "awful", on top of the strains of dealing with the disease.

"I used to have long blonde hair and it was my comfort blanket. I was a real 'girly girl', so losing it was a big deal. It made me feel insecure," said Gaby, who was in secondary school when she was diagnosed.

"I also have an indent in my face from where they removed my tumour. The scar was bigger than I expected it to be. The thought of everyone being able to see it, because it was on my face and not being able to hide it, was scary and a shock."

She said that at an age when appearance began to matter more, it caused her "a lot of anxiety".

The Teenage Cancer Trust said the psychological distress from changes to appearance caused by cancer and treatment were often overlooked. 

Dr Louise Soanes, a chief nurse at Teenage Cancer Trust, said more should be done to provide psychological support for young people with cancer.

"The nurses and youth support teams we fund work tirelessly to support young people with cancer, emotionally," she said.

"However, for those who need it, access to specialist psychological treatment from trained mental health professionals is a postcode lottery, with many who need help going unsupported."

Earlier this year the government relaunched the Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce, alongside the national cancer plan, to identify ways to improve outcomes and patient experience.

The government said it would ensure the unique needs of children, their families and carers would be carefully considered.