text: Standing at 174 centimetres at just 12 years old, Venessa Harris looked destined to be a model. But just months after winning a modelling contest that would take her overseas, the 12-year-old's lofty plans to make it to the runway hit a snag. Venessa was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer on January 5 after a nasty fall, which left her with pains in her leg. Aspiring model Venessa Harris, 12, was diagnosed with bone cancer just months after she won a talent search . Venessa is pictured with her proud mother, Karen Monaghan, and grandmother, Lyn Harris . At first doctors dismissed it as growing pains but shortly after discovered she had Ewing’s sarcoma as her discomfort continued. Venessa's parents Kelly Harris and Karen Monaghan found out that their daughter could have cancer on Christmas Eve, but her condition wasn't confirmed until the new year. Mr Harris and Ms Monaghan spent Christmas at the family's Windorah home, in central west Queensland, with a dark cloud hanging over their head. 'It was really hard, extremely hard. We'd gone home Christmas Eve,' Ms Monaghan told Daily Mail Australia. The 12-year-old was the international winner in the Tamblyn Young Model Discovery contest . Venessa, whose family live in Windorah, gained self-confidence from the competition after struggling with low self-esteem . Her family have been a constant support for Venessa who is currently undergoing chemotherapy in Brisbane . 'It was a very scary at that time. We were given clear instructions for her not to use her leg.' Then days later at Lady Cilento Children's Hospital in South Brisbane, a doctor told the family what they had feared after Venessa underwent medical scans. The cancer was located in the neck of Venessa's right femur and she was told it had eaten away so much of her bone that it had the thickness of an egg shell. 'The first few weeks were really chaotic and extremely stressful, as Kelly and I went through that uncontrollable fear stage,' Ms Monaghan said. The family's mood was in stark contrast to what it had been just months earlier, when Venessa was named international winner in the Tamblyn Young Model Discovery contest in September. Ms Monaghan said the contest had lifted Venessa's spirits and boosted her self esteem. 'She was feeling pretty down with her self-esteem. You don't get to do many girly things out west,' the 45-year-old said. She hopes to pursue a career in modelling after she recovers. Tamblyn Models have started a fundraising campaign for their rising star . Venessa had suffered a fall and her leg started to hurt. It was after this she discovered she had cancer . 'We had entered her in the quest when her self-esteem was taking a hard battering at the time. 'It was an emotional night and a great thing for Venessa to participate in and to bring that self-esteem in her up again.' The win meant Venessa was signed by Tamblyn Models who would help her learn how to succeed in her chosen career. 'They teach Venessa things like how to walk, dress and prepare her for an overseas trip when she's 15 or so, when she is old enough to participate in some modelling jobs.' Ms Monaghan told Daily Mail Australia. Now that Venessa has been handed this opportunity she is prepared to hit the ground running when she has recovered. The 12-year-old is destined to be a model with the height of 174 centimetres and is determined to fulfill her dreams . Her family is able to be close by to Venessa as she receives her cancer treatment thanks to Childhood Cancer Support . Fortunately, Venessa is expected to make a full recovery after her chemotherapy treatment as doctors caught the cancer early . 'She's our selfie queen. She's always loved the camera,' Ms Monaghan said. 'It's all happened really differently to what we expected of Venessa and [modelling is] what she wants to do, she's made her mind up.' But it is not just Venessa's career Tamblyn Models has been helping with. Ms Monaghan said she did not know what she would have done without the help of founder Pam Tamblyn who assisted in finding them a place to stay with Childhood Cancer Support. The organisation - who are supported by the modelling agency - helps provide accommodation to rural families who want to live in the city to be closer their loved ones receiving much-needed medical treatment for conditions, such as cancer. Tamblyn Models have also started a fundraising campaign to help Venessa and her family through her cancer treatment. Fortunately, Venessa is expected to make a full recovery after her chemotherapy treatment as doctors caught the cancer early. This is the same good news more and more young Australians are receiving. Over recent decades, the rate of childhood cancer survival has risen by six per cent, according to new Cancer Council figures. Latest data shows a reduction in mortality rates overall, and an increase in five-year relative survival for all childhood cancers from 76 per cent in 1992-2001 to 82 per cent during 2002-2011. Sadly, one in five children still will die from cancer within five years, with about 95 children under the age of 15 dying from cancer each year in Australia.
target: Venessa Harris was diagnosed with rare bone cancer at the age of 12 years .
  She found out about illness just months after she won modelling contest .
  Mum Karen Monaghan said daughter was determined to become a model .
  Venessa's modelling agency started a fundraising campaign to support her .
  It comes as new research shows more young people are surviving cancer .
  Childhood cancer survival rate has risen by six per cent over past decades .