Dion Yates opted against the more mainstream sports early on in secondary school, instead choosing to take to the kickboxing mat.

The teenager found the drills and self-defence more exciting than swimming up and down lanes of a pool.

One fight the teenager did not expect the sport to prepare her for was against the rare cancer she was diagnosed with in 2014.

Ewing's sarcoma only occurs in around 600 cases across Britain each year and only 30 of those are found in children.

The cancer normally appears in the thigh or shin, or the pelvis, where it affects Dion.

Now the 17-year-old from Lossiemouth in Moray is preparing for a life-saving operation to remove an 18-inch tumour where the cancer has returned months after her chemotherapy.

Dion said: "I had to have scans, general check-ups and blood tests but that meant I had more freedom at home and I was able to go back to school - which was a bit different because I was used to being off but it was good to get back and see everyone, especially some friends.

"I had my big scans the other week and obviously the chemotherapy isn't working and not responding to my tumour, which has grown bigger.

"It's not good but they've put me on a different chemo which is five times a day a week but I can go home each day."

She added: "Hopefully this will work and I'll have two cycles of this: the first will be one week on and two weeks off, after the second cycle we'll have more scans and fingers crossed it will have shrunk.

"They're booking me in for an operation as well. If this chemotherapy I'm on now works and the scans show the tumour has shrunk then they will operate because that's the only way to get rid of the tumour.

"They'll need to take half my pelvis out."

Research in the field is still fresh, according to Dion's mother Kerry, and the youngster faces another set of trials to ensure the best possible result.

While it can be scary for a young family to hear the possibility of Dion losing her leg, or even her life, the doctors told Kerry the same outlook would not even have been possible as little as five years ago.

She told STV News: "They did say if she got this five years ago then she wouldn't have survived it because they haven't got the information.

"But they're getting more now and good results from the trials. So far Dion's been in three trials. Obviously the new one she's in hasn't worked so she's in the second part of that.

"We knew if [the cancer] came back it would be very hard to treat because Dion's tumour is in her pelvis and it is the biggest tumour they've seen."

She added: "They wouldn't operate the first time because it was going to leave her severely disabled but what they've said now is they've got no choice - if she doesn't have this operation she won't survive.

"We found out in September it was back and she's had four runs of chemo. Unfortunately we've just found out the chemo has not responded so they're trying her on another chemo and we have to hope and pray this one works before they operate hopefully in February.

"Because it's 18 inches, a huge part of her insides are going to be removed. They are hoping they're going to save the leg, she'll have about four months in hospital to recover but all in all it's a two-year recovery."

Despite the diagnosis and difficult three years that have followed, with many miles travelled between Moray and Middlesbrough, Dion continues to confound the specialists and amaze herself at the positives from various fundraising initiatives.

After the school helped older sister Jacy organise various events, Dion's love of kickboxing also came in handy.

Speaking about the sport, Dion said: "I started seven years ago but I think I like it because you collect all the belts and do the gradings up to the black belt.

"Because it was different to all the sports I began to love it. Getting on the mats is just an amazing feeling.

"Kickboxing was part of fundraising the second time. The first time we did a lot through the families. We had a charity day in Scotland and one in Middlesbrough and my dad organised a garden challenge.

"We did a lot for ourselves which was good, and the school helped a lot, but the second time it was kickboxing that really, really helped and wanted to give me something back."

In the face of the adversity and the gruelling procedures that chemotherapy and radiotherapy can be, especially for a teenager, Dion remains upbeat.

Normally when Ewing's sarcoma returns it spreads to other parts of the body but medics have been left baffled that the cancer has remained in the primary tumour - which is why it has grown to such a size - and nowhere else in the body.

The teenager said: "I love my head being bald so I don't need to wash it".

"And I get beads of courage. They tell a journey and a story, each bead represents something I've had and I would do anything for a bead. They're collectable and they're fun to do in the hospital.

"There's no point in being down - there's always good things to get out of it."

The enthusiasm also rubs off on mother, who has relied upon the help of friends to look after her eldest daughter while travelling with Dion for treatment.

Kerry said: "She's just amazing. People always ask how you get through this but she gets you through it. I did have a bad couple of days when we were told it was back but we just get our heads back on.

"We are really positive and we try not to dwell on the worst that could happen because it does get you down.

"We've just got to go with it and hope it does work."

She added: "She's got a lot of friends here [at kickboxing], it's like a little family for her. If she's feeling down she'll rock up in her pyjamas and it'll still put a smile on her face.

"Even when she's not supposed to be on the mat she's there, she just can't keep off it.

"I just look at her and know what she wants. Even if she's in a wheelchair she will be on the mats training others. She won't give in."

Interview by Emma Murray.