Little Jessica Maggs is the latest Evening Post Gold Star winner for her amazing courage and bravery while battling leukaemia.

The bright and bubbly three-and-a-half-year-old was just two years and 10 months old when she was diagnosed.

The Evening Post reported how her father – Bristol Rugby and former Ireland international Kevin Maggs – had been back at his home club for six months when Jessica was diagnosed with the disease on New Year's Eve last year.

The news rocked Kevin, 34, and his wife Jayne, 35, and heralded a traumatic six months while Jessica was treated at Bristol Children's Hospital. Her treatment started on New Year's Day and Jessica had to endure months of chemotherapy, which caused her long curly blonde hair to fall out.

She is now back at home and full of energy after responding well to her treatment and her hair is growing back.

Kevin, who returned home after playing for Ulster for three seasons and Bath for six, had a nightmare first season back at Bristol because of persistent injury problems but he said his own struggle to get match fit was nothing compared to his daughter's ordeal.

Speaking after the news of Jess's award, Kevin said: "Jess has dealt with everything she has been through unbelievably well.

"Children are just amazing, aren't they? How she has got through it has just been absolutely incredible.

"She hasn't moaned, she has managed to keep smiling, and it has certainly made me think about the way I deal with my rugby injuries."

The Evening Post Gold Star Awards recognise the extraordinary achievements of local people, whether they have saved lives, cared selflessly for others or shown great courage in adversity.

Evening Post deputy editor Rob Stokes said: "We have all been touched by Jessica's story. She has been such a brave little girl and has never stopped smiling. It's great that we can recognise her courage with this award."

Justin Davies, managing director of First Bristol, which sponsors the awards, said: "Jessica is a very special little girl. Treatment for cancer can be long and hard and she's been incredibly brave throughout.

"I'm delighted to hear that after months in hospital she's now back at home with her family and friends. She thoroughly deserves this Gold Star award because she is an inspiration to us all."

All our Gold Star winners for 2008 will be invited, along with their families, to a special lunch at the Marriott Hotel City Centre later in the year.