Teenager cancer sufferer releases inspirational film about life with disease

18-year-old Charlotte Eades was diagnosed with cancer in her brain and spine at just 16. And even though her prognosis was originally quite bad, and she remains on chemo, her tumours have started to show signs of shrinking.

The Brighton teenager, who's been vlogging her struggles with her disease on YouTube, says she owes a lot to CLIC Sargent, a young people's cancer support charity.

Charlotte says: “When I was told I had cancer I had no idea that young people could get it. I was pretty naïve. Treatment has been really tough, it has affected my sight and hearing and I’m still undergoing a course of targeted chemotherapy – but I’m still here.

“I’ve had brilliant support from my CLIC Sargent social worker every step of the way and the charity’s nurses too, but not everyone is so lucky."

The charity, in partnership with ad agency McCann Enterprise, helped Charlotte make the film to support its new #3outof3 campaign. Currently, CLIC only receives enough funding to support two thirds of young people suffering from cancer, and wants to be able to reach all of them by 2025.

Lorraine Clifton, CLIC Sargent’s chief executive, said: “Charlotte is just one of the tens of thousands of children and young people we’ve supported over the past ten years - our social workers, nursing staff and other care professionals play a vital role in supporting them and their families through the hardest of times."

Charlotte was diagnosed in July 2013, after suffering from a series of awful headaches, and then aches in her shoulders and arms.

Eventually, doctors realised that odd MRI results meant she had a brain tumour. Further tests then found tumours in her spine, and left her in excruciating pain.

"The first thing I asked when I was diagnosed was whether I’d lose my hair. When the doctor said yes I was devastated. It’s any girl’s worst nightmare."