TWINS Annalie and Nina Greasby share a bond that can never be broken, not even by cancer.
Annalie was a picture of health and had barely ever taken a day off school when she was diagnosed with bone cancer last year.
Battling through gruelling treatment, her family could only watch as the 17-year-old bravely fought the disease.
Annalie is now on the road to recovery, as her family gets on the road to race on Sunday in aid of the hospital that cared for her.
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Twin sister Nina Greasby and mother Aukje Raats, from Witney, have signed up for the Oxford Mail’s OX5 Run at Blenheim Palace to thank the staff at Oxford Children’s Hospital.
Annalie said: “I was never ill, I never took days off school at all.
“I did lots of running and was full-time at school doing my A-Levels. It’s not as if I was drinking and smoking so it was a big shock.”
After discovering a pain in her shoulder, CT scans revealed the teenager had a rare cancerous tumour of the bone, osteosarcoma.
Since she started chemotherapy in May 2014, Annalie has stayed on the Oxford Children’s Hospital’s Kamran’s Ward for three weeks out of every five, undergoing treatment.
The sixth-former at Wood Green School, Witney, has now finished chemotherapy and although her cancer is not officially in remission, she has responded well to treatment and returned to school.
The 17-year-old said: “The care has been really good.
The nurses are all so caring and if you have a bad day you can always talk to them.
“They know what you are going through and I really couldn’t ask for better care.
“I’m so pleased my mum and sister are running. It’s really nice to have their support and being my twin we share everything and tell each other everything.”
Nina said: “I just to want to feel we are doing something for Annalie and giving back to the hospital, which has been so helpful and caring to her and us.
“I was able to stay with her quite a few nights and they were so great.
Nina, a pupil at Kingham Hill School, added: “It’s been really tough but our family was really strong and we got through it. We have definitely become closer and have supported each other.
I’m really happy she’s back at school and getting her energy back and doing things.
Mum Aukje has also signed up for Sunday’s Blenheim Palace run to give back to Kamran’s Ward, the family’s “second home” in recent months.
She said: “The staff have been great, they are so fun and caring and you feel in safe hands with them.
Oxford Children’s Hospital spokeswoman Sarah Vaccari said: “I am sure that it means a huge amount to Annalie to have her twin sister Nina and her mum taking part in the OX5 Run and we are delighted to see such tremendous support.
“We hope this very special story will inspire even more people to sign up.”
There is still time to enter, but online entries for the race, sponsored by Oxford recruitment firm Allen Associates for the seventh year running, close onThursday.
To register, go to oxfordmail.co.uk/ox5run or scan the QR code.
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