A TEENAGER who had one of his knee joints removed due to bone cancer but still hopes to represent Britain at the next Paralympic Games has helped to launch a charity website.

Laurence Whiteley, 19, from Northallerton, North Yorkshire, was diagnosed with bone cancer in 2006, when he was 14.

Laurence, who recently left Polam School, in Darlington, is featured on the Bone Cancer Research Trust website.

The website, which is also supported by Richard Branson’s daughter, Holly, was launched to coincide with Bone Cancer Awareness Week, which runs until Saturday.

Laurence started swimming as part of his rehabilitation following surgery which involved the removal of his right knee and part of the fibula.

Following the operation, Laurence had surgery to rebuild his knee, including having a replacement joint and titanium rods weighing 10kg put into his thigh.

Despite the surgery and implants, he has competed in national and international competitions and hopes to make it to the 2012 Paralympic Games in London.

Bone cancer is a rare, lifethreatening disease that affects children and young adults. There are only about 400 cases a year in the UK, so people with the disease can feel isolated. The website will include information for people with bone cancer and their families.

Bone cancer is often diagnosed late, as the pains associated with it are often attributed to growing pains.

More research is needed into bone cancer to reduce the delays in diagnosis and improve survival. There has been no improvement in survival for people with bone cancer in more than 20 years, so new and effective treatments are urgently needed.

Laurence said: “This is the type of information I would have loved to have had when I was first diagnosed with bone cancer.

“Because it’s so rare, I felt so alone as there weren’t many people I could talk to.

“The support network on the website will be brilliant for people with bone cancer and their families, as they can get in contact with people who know what they are going through and understand how they feel.”

The website, bonecancerresearch.org.uk, went live on Saturday.