WHEN Olivia Gallienne walks over the finish line at Race for Life in Southampton it will be an emotional moment for her proud family.

The courageous two-year-old has been through more in her short life than many will experience in a lifetime.

She has spent 607 days as an inpatient after being the youngest child ever to be diagnosed with leukaemia at Southampton General Hospital.

A year ago in February 2006 her condition grew so serious that doctors told the family to prepare for the worst and say their goodbyes.

But once again she pulled through.

Olivia, who will be three in October, is just learning to walk all over again after her first attempts were thwarted when she fell seriously ill.

"We didn't think we would get to see her walk again - she has been so ill.

"She was walking a year ago in April - then she had to have a bone marrow transplant and that put everything back," she said.

Now the youngster is having physiotherapy every week to build up the muscles in her legs.

"She's doing very well at the moment. She's been home from hospital for ten weeks and she's crawling and walking around the furniture," said Katie, 30, of Alresford.

Olivia is also having help with talking - at present her parents can understand her but her speech has been delayed.

"It's like she's missed out on 18 months of her life because she has been laid out and not doing much.

"She's old enough to start playschool next month but she hasn't had any injections yet and she will probably be four or five years old before she can have any - I don't know whether she will start school on time.

"But in time she will catch up," she added.

Family life finally seems to be settling down and Katie and husband, Andrew, 36, enjoy taking Olivia for cycle rides with their eldest daughter Jazmine, 7.

"Life now is more normal than it has ever been. Olivia's not on oxygen any more and we can finally do things as a family.

"We go for cycle rides and Olivia sits on the back of Andrew's bike.

"Jazmine has been really good through all of this - we've always kept her involved and when she has asked questions we have told her the answer," she said.

Olivia will be joining her mum as part of her 20-strong Race for Life team.

It will be her third year taking part in the charity 5km event - although each year it has been touch and go whether she would be well enough to attend.

"Last year she was ill but they let her come out of hospital just for the day but this year we are looking forward to her walking over the finish line.

"It will be a great day and we are really looking forward to it," she said.