When Nicole Dryburgh was 11 she was diagnosed with a tumour on her spine and was treated by surgery and radiotherapy, successfully everyone thought. Then in December 2002 she became desperately ill and had to be rushed to King’s College Hospital. In January 2003 her mother told that Nicole had only a few weeks to live. Nicole was 18 in February 2007. She is blind and confined mainly to a wheelchair but she goes to college, loves horse riding and parties and does lots of charitable fund raising. Don’t feel sorry for Nicole and don’t whatever you do pronounce her name wrong. It’s Dryburgh like Edinburgh you know.

Nicole is a feisty, funny teen who adores pink, loves shopping with her mates- ‘The Girls’- and has blushingly, stammeringly giggly crushes on pop stars. She’s a normal teenager except that she’s been living with cancer and the effects of cancer since childhood. This book charts the story of her physical and mental battles against the disease over the course of seven years. Part diary and part autobiography, Nicole talks about her life in and out of hospital, the operations, schooling, amazing highs and despairing lows. Her family, friends, doctors and teachers take over the story in the parts where Nicole was too desperately ill to remember or was unconscious and there are equal parts of hilarious incidents and heart wrenching moments.

Losing your sight, not being able to walk and having your hair fall out at the most difficult and tender age of your life is tragic but Nicole gets through with an amazing network of friends and family and by her own attitude. ‘I’m a stubborn, determined little madam,’ says Nicole, and the book ends with her goals for the future which include being a millionaire and growing her hair long.

This story is truly inspirational but also accessible and deals with the harsh reality of life with cancer in straight forward way. We learn the technical and Scientific stuff alongside Nicole. There are times when I wanted to delve further into an aspect of the story or to have my questions answered but Nicole is breathlessly describing a shopping trip with her friends or relaying a cute story about her dogs. But this is what makes the book so charming: Nicole is simply a teenager sharing her life with us. There are times when she’s bored with her illness and wants to talk about pop stars and pink sparkly clothes and there are times when she’s fed up and stroppy.

Share this book with teens who are finding life difficult or read it simply because it’s an inspiring read. And don’t forget, ‘when you’re reading this book remember I can’t. I’ll have to have it read to me. And when you breathe in and out, remember I can do that because I’m still here and fighting.’

2008-04-05