Francesca Wheatley

Aged 14 years, Francesca was diagnosed with stage iv Hodgkin's Lymphoma, she endured an extensive regime of chemotherapy, lost her hair, gained weight from the steroid treatment, travelled 2 hours a day, every day for 7 weeks for radiotherapy and through it all she smiled! She sat her module GCSEs on the children's oncology ward hooked to a drip, gained 2 A and 2 A* grades, and acted as a friend and mentor to 2 younger girls who were diagnosed after her. Whilst still receiving treatment she started a fund raising campaign, for Macmillan and Clic Sargent, she has given a talk to her school on the work of the charity, she inspired others to help her raise money. Francesca has amazed her teachers and friends by her sheer determination to carry on living life to the full, receiving a diagnosis of cancer is something that most teenagers don't even contemplate and yet Francesca has taken it in her stride and been determined that it would not stop her from being a friend to many, a support to others receiving treatment and to raise awareness and funds for the charities she has had experience of. Growing up Francesca was a keen gymnast gaining all her awards and was working towards her gold medal until a broken elbow which has left restricted movement in her left arm stopped her aged 8 pursuing her love fully; to be a torchbearer for the Olympics would really be a dream come true.