Teenage Cancer Patient's 'Bucket List' Trends Worldwide On Twitter

On Monday, June 6, 15-year old Alice Pyne started a blog that documented the ‘bucket list’ of experiences she wanted to have, hoping to share those adventures with friends and family. Her wish-list included such things as swimming with sharks, travelling to Kenya, meeting pop band Take That, whale watching and to encourage more people to sign up to become bone marrow donors. Nothing unusual about that, you might think. Except Alice’s story is a little different – she’s fighting terminal cancer. And her story has proved so inspirational that it’s become a global trending topic on Twitter. Alice, who suffers from Hodgkin's lymphoma, wrote on her blog, “I've been fighting cancer for almost 4 years and now I know that the cancer is gaining on me and it doesn't look like I'm going to win this one 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.” Within 48 hours her story had reached Twitter, and thousands and thousands of users, including many celebrities, began to raise awareness of her blog using the hashtag #alicebucketlist. The hashtag quickly became a trending topic around the world, and Alice’s blog has now received thousands of supportive comments, with many people promising to help her fulfil her dreams. Alice and her family have been overwhelmed by the reaction. “I thought that I was just doing a little blog for a few friends! 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. My mum was trying to reply to everyone and it all got a bit mad and now we have a little team of friends helping us out so that we can get back to everyone.” Of all the items on her list, Alice is most excited about those who have promised to become bone marrow donors, even going so far as to put them at ease about the procedure. “The biggest thing has to be all the people who are joining bone marrow donation schemes because of me. I read on someone’s post that it is really painful. Well, mostly bone marrow is taken as cells via a needle and I have had it done. I was 13 when I had my first transplant and because they used my own cells. I'm not just saying this, but it really didn't hurt at all. I had a tiny bruise from the needles and that was about it.” Alice adds that she’s been “offered so many wonderful experiences” that promise “a lot of exciting days ahead”, but isn’t looking for donations. Instead, she hopes that people will simply stay in touch with her on this journey. “I do love to get your messages and I hope you'll follow my blog and keep leaving me a message. 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.” Continue reading Alice’s story at her blog.

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Teenage Cancer Patient's 'Bucket List' Trends Worldwide On Twitter

Shea Bennett

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Shea Bennett