It’s a busy time for Alice as she prepares for various up and coming events, including a charity ball, in aid of her cancer, Rhabdomyosarcoma. Chemo is delayed so Alice can complete her packed social diary and feel in good spirits whilst doing so, however the pain soon becomes too much to bear. The day of the ball arrives, the fancy frocks are on, the champagne is waiting… and after a lot of hard work, all goes to plan and a wonderful night is had by all. With the generosity and effort of everyone, over £5,000 is raised for the research appeal, dedicated to supporting new scientific findings and maintaining and improving necessary treatments. Despite being in a great deal of pain, Alice keeps going, even if she has to contend with annoying pain relief machines!

Alice’s 18th has finally come, which means only one thing in the Bullock household…a party! Cue jazzy candles, music and lots of cake as she celebrates surrounded by friends and family. Post party and now an official adult, Alice reminisces on her childhood, looking through old photo albums, from sitting on Santa’s knee to her first day at school…and displaying some interesting outfit choices! Feeling tired and energy less, Alice explains how frustrating it is not being able to do anything without feeling worn out, a problem soon helped by having one very large blood transfusion!

After finding herself back in hospital again due to an infection and low counts, Alice is feeling deflated and wants to be back at home. After a talk with the doctors however, Alice soon realises she must stay and get better before she can return home, and sure enough, proving everyone wrong, her counts steadily creep back up to normal range! An ecstatic Alice finally returns to her home comforts, but also returns to the ever looming exam results day, causing her to feel a mixture of emotions. The day arrives, and amazingly, Alice gains a sparkling set of grades, despite being extremely ill when sitting them. A post exams party with friends means only one thing…drunken, camp dancing from Jordan! It’s a case of festival fever as Alice has an amazing time at V and Reading, managing to meet one of her favourite bands, Muse. After all the fun of mingling with celebrities, Alice is suitably worn out, but doesn’t stop there…she has a full treatment plan sorted and is already planning a holiday!

As Alice starts her first cycle of chemo, we get a lowdown of how things are going during her stay in hospital. Alice is excited at the thought of being discharged and keeps in high spirits as she completes the first hurdle. Back at home, it’s a nice change from the hospital walls and time for another trip to the seaside for Alice and family where fresh sea air comes as a welcome break from the lovely fumes of hospital! As chemo kicks in, Alice begins to feel the side effects and unfortunately finds herself back in hospital after a high temperature and low neutrophils mean that a close eye has to be kept on things. Now back on the adult ward again and feeling miserable, Alice explains how a teenage unit is desperately needed for young people so their time in hospital is made considerably more comfortable. With chemo comes side effects and then cravings…this time it’s Cuppa Soup for Alice!

It’s nearly two years to the day since Alice was first diagnosed and although she finds herself in a similar situation treatment wise, she is more determined than ever. As radiotherapy on her head does its job, Alice’s hair begins to fall out until she can’t bear the itch any longer and gets it all shaved off. Race for life day arrives as Alice and her mum proudly walk the walk for Rhabdo and successfully reach the finish line, an achievement in itself! Pain in Alice’s back causes concern until a series of scans reveal the underlying problem- a tumour in her spine and frustratingly, it’s back in her bone marrow once more. Never one to stay down for long, Alice isn’t looking forward to more chemo, but is eager to start treatment and start fighting again. As Alice talks us through her treatment plan, she explains how frustrated and shocked she feels at the thought of the cancer being back in her bone marrow and can’t understand why it keeps coming back. Instead of a Hickman line, this time round Alice has a portacath fitted in preparation for chemo and starts to get ready for her time in hospital, which surprisingly Alice is looking forward to, mainly so she can get it done and get on with her life once more.

In this latest instalment, Alice explains how she is feeling as she continues on with her difficult schedule, which is mainly tiredness and generally feeling “rubbish”. With an ongoing pain in her shoulder, Alice prepares for a review to get to the underlying issue, but soon finds out the real problem…shingles! Just as she thought things were sorted, Alice wakes up to a blinding headache causing her awful pain and an emergency trip to Addenbrookes is called upon where Alice discovers more than she bargained for when they tell her she has suspected meningitis. After having a series of tests at the hospital, meningitis is soon off the agenda as Alice discovers she has a head tumour, located on the surface of her brain, on membrane called the meninges. With more knock backs than even imaginable, Alice still stays inspirationally positive and has a strong plan of attack once more- five lots of high dose radiotherapy on her head and despite everything, still plans to take her exams…and organise a party for Friday night!

It’s all go go go as both radiotherapy and exams get underway and Alice prepares for the busy schedule ahead of her. With radiotherapy everyday for the next 4 ½ weeks, Alice explains how she can’t wait to get it all over and done with and get on with life as normal. On the foot front, a successful period of driving again without any pain fills Alice with bundles of confidence and relief at the thought of finally being crutch free. After missing it first time round due to previous treatment, an apprehensive Alice prepares for her maths exam and reports back after to tell us how it went… with complete success of course! A weekend away in London with friends at the Give It A Name festival comes as a welcome break from treatment and exams and gives Alice a chance to see some of her all time favourite bands play, even if a late night getting back home does cause sore eyes the next day! As Alice’s tough schedule of radiotherapy continues, she explains how treatment isn’t what’s worrying her most. In true Alice form, passing her exams and continuing with revision are her main concerns, even with the side effects of treatment causing her to feel tired and lethargic… leaving us wondering where she gets her energy from!

With exams just round the corner and radiotherapy about to begin, Alice is feeling the strain of having to deal with both school and treatment whilst still battling with the demon crutches! In her words, Alice explains how she could do with some “time out” to forget about things and relax without worrying about other complications. Walking has never seemed like such a luxury as Alice explains how important it is not to take it for granted and longs for the use of her legs once more. After a period of feeling down, Alice perks up after a very successful weekend of walking without crutches and despite it being a long process, is determined to be running around as soon as possible! As the foot in question is beginning to heal nicely, Alice takes the time to show us where the operation took place…a process which still makes her go a bit funny when she has to look at it for too long! In preparation for radiotherapy, Alice takes a trip to the hospital where a mould of her leg is taken, followed up by a heavy tattooing session…unfortunately for radiotherapy purposes only!

As Alice prepares for radiotherapy on her foot, life on crutches is taking its toll. With exams only round the corner, as well as not being able to do a lot for herself, Alice explains how frustrated and apprehensive she is feeling at the prospect of facing the next few months ahead. A surprise trip to see one of her favourite bands, Muse, at the Royal Albert Hall in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust soon gets Alice feeling excited and raring to go, even amongst feeling tired and energy less. After receiving some positive test results back following an examination of the muscle surrounding the tumour in her foot, Alice is left feeling incredibly happy and relieved. Continuing on the positive note, the stitches in her foot are out following the operation and healing well, but unfortunately the crutches are staying around for a little while longer yet!

Lights…camera…action! From a small town country director with just a video recorder in her hand and a couple of amateur actors by her side, comes the cinematic experience of a lifetime, a film critics are hailing “the thriller of 2008…a chilling portrayal of the effect shattered family dynamics can have on three friends…beautifully directed with a plot like no other…a five star success.” One boy. One girl. One body. A guilty secret hanging over them and a dark tale of deceit. Can they handle the pressure or will one pair of sunglasses be their unplanned demise? The question is, who has the stamina to survive? Who will crumble under the pressure? What is the secret linking their fate…and could Elmo cost them vital time? How long until it’s….GAME OVER? Coming soon to a computer screen near you. Popcorn optional.

In this second fantastic instalment of Alice’s relapse diary, we follow her progress as she travels to Birmingham to meet the surgeon who will be performing her operation and also gets a surprise trip to Cadbury World where, surprisingly much chocolate is consumed…. Get ready for a hat fashion show too, as her and Kev model the latest in designer purple Cadbury merchandise! Alice explains how she is feeling during the countdown to the operation, which is mainly excitement at the thought of finally having the tumour removed from her foot. Even the thought of being crutch bound for a few weeks post surgery doesn’t deflate her spirits, and she still manages to smile throughout it all. And to top it all off….in true Alice style, the first thing she wants after surgery? A nice cup of tea please!

After being chemo free for just over a month, Alice is told the news that no-one ever wants to hear- she’s relapsed. Always with a smile on her face and determination in her voice, she explains how she is coping with the unexpected news and constantly manages to stay positive, whatever the weather. With the tumour back in her foot, albeit very small, she has a strong plan of attack- to get to Birmingham as soon as possible to have it removed and then undergo an intensive course of radiotherapy until the damn thing is gone!