IT is said a mother knows her child better than anyone, and when doctors persistently told Asma Khanom her daughter had a cough, she feared the problem was worse.

Mrs Khanom first took Fahmina Abedin, 15, to a doctor in February 2008 after the Lliswerry High School pupil began waking up in the night short of breath and developing temperatures.

It was a year later when Fahmina was diagnosed with hodgkin’s lymphoma after the youngster developed problems eating, lost over a stone in weight and began falling alseep in class.

Mrs Khanom of Palm Square, Somerton, said: “I took Fahmina to the doctor’s every three months and they never once took x-rays. There was this feeling at the back of my mind that something was badly wrong.”

When a final five-day course of antibiotics failed to clear the cough, x-rays were taken at Mrs Khanom’s insistance.

She said it was “terrifying” when her and husband, takeaway owner Joynal Abedin, 36, were called to the Royal Gwent Hospital.

Doctors told them that Fahmina had hodgkin’s lymphoma in her chest and that she would have to undergo chemotherapy at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff.

The youngster spent two months there from March 21, receiving the first two courses of high dose chemotherapy.

She then had a two week break before she was re-admitted to hospital for two more courses.

Fahmina has now had six out of eight courses of chemotherapy through a hickman line that was placed in her chest and will also undergo radiotherapy.

Mrs Khanom said it was awful watching her lively daughter lose all her strength, become withdrawn and have her hair fall out due to treatment.

Fahmina's parents and siblings Salaman, 13, Lucman, nine, and Mamtaz, seven, have rallied around and doctors say the tumors are shrinking. Fahmina is also on a course of steroids to help her regain strength.

The family are hoping treatment will prove effective and Fahmina will return to school at the end of the year.

As she has missed so many lessons, teachers suggested she sit only five of her 10 GCSEs next year.

Through charity Children’s Wish, the Newport Round Table has donated a notebook computer and printer to help Fahmina with her studies in hospital and at home.