Dying teen’s bucket-list goes viral
When 15-year-old Alice Payne, who has been fighting Hodgkin's lymphoma for four years, created a blog featuring a bucket-list of the things she wants to do before she dies, she never thought it would find sympathetic ears all around the world.
“Oh dear and I thought that I was just doing a little blog for a few friends,” the brave teen wrote on her blog. “Thank you so much for all your lovely messages to me. I don't sleep very well and I sat up all night reading them as they came in from all over the planet, every single one, and they have made me smile so much so that is a good thing.”
After learning that the cancer was spreading through her body, Alice decided to create a blog so her friends could read about the things she wants to do and follow her progress. “I know that the cancer is gaining on me and it doesn't look like I'm going to win this one,” she wrote. “I'm hoping to write in here as much as I can and I'm also going to show my bucket-list which I'm trying to get done before I have to go. Hopefully, I'll update as I tick each one off the list.”
The bucket-list – which includes swimming with sharks, meet the band Take That, staying at the chocolate room at the Atlton Towers and making everyone sign up to be a marrow donor – started spreading rapidly on the internet, sparking a flood of support messages from all over the world.
In response to people offering to make donations, Alice said that she didn’t need money as she had most of the things she needed, but that if someone wanted to donate to something close to her heart, they could support her sister, who’s running the Race for Life – UK’s largest women-only fundraising event for cancer research. A few hours later, Alice posted that they had just hit $15,400. “I feel so good that with your help we are getting more people on the bone marrow donor list and now we're putting money into supporting cancer research. Happy, happy, happy.”
The teen, who lists her occupation as “full time cancer fighter”, has also revealed that one of her dreams is about to come true. “I’m off to see Take That this weekend,” she wrote. “I am so excited and really can't wait. I just hope that I don't get ill or something daft. I've lived in PJs for about a year so mum is going to town to buy some things to bring back for me to try. She'll bring loads but I'll no doubt end up wearing leggings and a shirt.”
Many other celebrities, such as Justin Bieber, Johnny Depp and Katy Perry, have jumped on the bandwagon offering Alice their support.
"I am sorry to hear about the situation facing Alice and what she's going through, and our thoughts go out to her and her family," British Prime Minister David Cameron said.
Even though her disease stops Alice from travelling overseas, the overwhelming response her bucket-list has received will hopefully help her tick most of the items on it off.
“I love to get your messages and I hope you'll follow my blog and keep leaving me a message,” Alice posted. “I will take a camera with me wherever I go and I'll post photos of everything I do. In return, you can keep asking everyone you bump into to join the bone marrow donation schemes in your country.”
