Here we are introduced to 17 year old David, who, on the 26th July 2007 was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. As we hear David’s story, we find out what life was like before diagnosis- a typical teenage one really, going to school, hanging out with mates, going down the ‘chippy’- until a series of symptoms led to a far more serious turn of events. After finding out he had Leukemia, David explains what it was like to be told such shocking news, with his family also explaining how it emotionally affected them. Now in remission and receiving maintenance treatment ending in October 2010, as we join the family on a picnic, David explains how relieved he is to have been given the all clear and reveals how the whole experience has made him realise what is truly important in life.

Katie Knight and her dad David return to Jimmyteens to talk about Katie’s experience with cancer five years ago, plus a relapse two years later and how it affected them as a family. With the aid of blog entries, written by Katie’s older brother and David himself, they explain how, emotionally and physically, the process of watching a loved one go through treatment can be an extremely difficult strain to bear.

Say cheese! Richard’s latest film finds him busy with various events. First up, a photo shoot for an article in the Cambridge Evening News, but proceedings are cut short when the battery pack soon runs out of energy! Next up, a charity walk for TCT, where the fun and games start on the bus when Richard’s brother gives us a demonstration of his very best Cambridgeshire accent! In Richard’s words, he’s “hob-knobbing” with the celebrities as he prepares to cross the start line, catching up with Olympic swimmer Mark Foster. The balloons are out, shoe laces are tied and the challenge is on, but where are the local pubs for a drink half way round?! We catch up with Richard during the walk which doubles up as a lovely sight seeing tour of Cambridge, no sign of a pub yet though!

In the second of Nick’s films, we hear how, despite having his life turned upside down by treatment, he has tried to keep things as normal as possible, even managing a pint after his first chemo session! Soon realising a lifestyle change was needed however, Nick talks about how, as a nineteen year old, he got used to dealing with the side effects of treatment such as hair loss and a drastic change in appearance. During treatment, Nick explains how he grew to appreciate the good things in life and tried as much as possible to make good use of the days he felt better, in his words to “recharge the batteries”. Mentally, Nick describes how hard the battle with his emotions was and how it has made him a great deal stronger now he has experienced having cancer, offering some great advice on how to stay mentally positive.

After an intense course of treatment and now beginning to feel better, a holiday is long overdue for Jonny as he jets off to Spain and luckily, takes us with him! Leaving rainy England behind for the sparkling shores of Benalmadena near Malaga, the sun cream is packed, the shades are on and the sun is shining! We might not be experiencing the glorious weather like Jonny, but we get an envious insight into his jam packed holiday away and soon discover he’s been jetting off again- this time to France as part of a holiday organised by a wonderful charity Jonny spends a lot of time working for. Its third time lucky as Jonny has a relaxing break away with family in the Lake District and reflects on his experience with cancer, stating how it has made him a stronger and braver person despite the difficulties along the way.

Diagnosed in September 2006 with a brain tumour, this is Jonny’s story. 8 months on and we hear about his long and hard journey in detail, as Jonny explains the nasty side effects of treatment and the various operations he has had to have. We get a sneaky peek at the ever appearing and spooky looking radiotherapy mask, now only used at Halloween according to Jonny! Spending a lot of time at home after having to miss college, a vast array of daytime telly was on offer to Jonny, Loose Women and Jeremy Kyle being personal favourites of his. Friends and family play a big part in Jonny’s positivity, as he explains how lucky he feels to have such a supportive network of people around him. After talking about his treatment story, we get to see a rehearsal take place at the Youth Theatre where Jonny and his sister attend and by the sounds of things, he can certainly reach those sparkling top notes!

Aged 17, diagnosed 7 years ago and blasting out of the stereo? S Club 7 of course! Lizzy is certainly all about the 7’s. As she tells her story, we hear about everything from radiotherapy to Teegan the dog, complete with a series of photographs taken at the time. Lizzy also explains how supportive friends and family were during treatment, especially her two brothers, who always managed to keep her entertained and in high spirits. A tour around Lizzy’s room highlights her love for dogs, mainly of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel kind! After hearing more of her story, it’s time to take to the water as Lizzy explains how after she was taught, it’s now her turn to teach children how to sail- both a fun and valuable experience.

It’s been nearly two years since Richard last made a film here on Jimmyteens, but fear not, he’s back in style with the epic release of “Mask Wars”…Darth Vader beware! A lot has happened since filming back on the dreaded D9 and Richard talks us through the latest on his treatment situation, with a 2 week course of precautionary radiotherapy on his head looming. After enduring intense radiotherapy previously, Richard reminisces about the last couple of years and prepares for the coming weeks of treatment. Day one of radiotherapy arrives and we’re not getting left behind! We get a guided tour, from house to hospital as Richard waits to get started, assisted by mum and sister, who would prefer to stay on the other side of the camera! As things progress, we follow Richard over the course of the next few days, as he takes a trip to the Wallace Cancer Care Centre and takes a well deserved break from the stresses of treatment in relaxing surroundings. As Richard finishes his last lot of treatment, he sits down for a nice cup of tea….hopefully planning his next film instalment!

Race for life day has finally arrived and team Bonnie are out in full force and raring to go! With their legs stretched and their trainers on both feet, the 5k race begins with Bonnie at the front leading the way and giving us a running commentary of how her race skills are shaping up. As they near the end, it’s tempting to stop, but Bonnie just keeps on going until she reaches that finish line! Back at home, the chocolate is out and the legs are resting as everyone, including Bonnie feels worn out after their active morning, which has raised a staggering two and a half thousand pounds for Cancer Research. With the race completed and everyone recovered, Bonnie gives us a summary of the past few days, including a trip to the hospital to have her stomach drained, in which 3 litres of liquid were drained, an amount Bonnie represents with three cartons of fruit juice! As her holiday approaches, Bonnie looks forward to having a break away from home and rejuvenating on a boating holiday. We get a tour around the boat in question and some of the beautiful surrounding scenery as Bonnie has a well deserved break from normality and enjoys herself surrounded by her family, her friends and the sunshine.

In this film we meet Jodie, whose brother Shawn was diagnosed with cancer only a month ago. As she goes about her sisterly duties, (i.e. fetching copious amounts of pot noodle from the shops!) Jodie explains how the news of Shawn’s diagnosis is still very raw but manages to keep going by keeping herself and Shawn motivated and providing him with everything he needs. Equipped with lots of helpful advice, Jodie also stresses the importance of positive thinking and staying strong, no matter what the situation. With the town centre only being a short walk from the hospital and Shawn needing regular nutrition in the form of McDonald’s milkshakes, Jodie explains how thankful she is for the convenience and also the fact that there’s a pub just around the corner!

After Cherith’s brother Jonathan was diagnosed with Leukaemia over a year ago, life has been very different. As Cherith tells her story, she talks us through the range of emotions that come with finding out a sibling has been diagnosed with cancer and how she coped with watching other family members deal with her brother’s diagnosis. Cherith explains how at first, she didn’t know how to take the news and wishes she had known more about the illness to begin with as it made her angry and upset when she didn’t know what the future held. We also get to meet Jonathan himself, who, by the looks of things is taking a definite lead in the race to eat as many chicken pies as possible with a record of three per day! Cherith also talks us through the first time she saw Jonathan in hospital and how emotional it was to see someone she loved in such a shocking environment. After spending some time away from home, Cherith looks forward to going back to normality and seeing her dog again, although in true sibling style, Jonathan seems more occupied with The Simpsons than waving his sister off!

In this truthful and informative film, as part of the Head Space series, former cancer patient Marina reminisces over the past few years and tells us about her experience with the illness and how it has changed her life, with work, family and friends being just some of the factors affected. Marina explains how her job as a chef, specialising in cake making and decorating, has been a comfort to her during hard times, never letting being ill stopping her from finishing that one last cake! We get a look at the scrummy cakes in question, as Marina shows us some of her personal favourites and proudly displays her Icing certificates. After finding out that she had a second tumour, we hear how difficult it was to take the news, when Marina explains how she felt as though her world had fallen apart as there were so many goals and dreams that hadn’t been achieved yet. She also tells us how worried she was when she feared her creative streak and passion for cakes may be subdued once treatment began and disruption set in. After showing us a masterpiece in progress i.e. Roary the racing car, Marina goes on to explain how this passion for her work and life has always been backed up by a strong support network, namely her religion, her family, friends and her spirituality.