Nicole Dryburgh

When Nicole Dryburgh was 11, she was diagnosed with a tumour on her spine and was treated by surgery and radiotherapy, successfully everyone thought. Then in December 2002, she became desperately ill. A brain haemorrhage left her blind, and unableto move and in January 2003, her mother was told that Nicole had only a few weeks to live. But Nicole defied all medical expectations and lived to see her 21st birthday. Sadly, in May 2010, Nicole suffered another brain haemorrhage and passed way the next day.

In spite of all the physical difficulties Nicole lived with, including
loss of hearing towards the end of her life, Nicole made the most of every moment and accomplished a string of achievements, including writing two books, The Way I See It and Talk to the Hand - Nicole's inspiring memoirs. Probably Nicole's most notable achievement was her determined resolve to raise funds for others. She was a passionate and dynamic fundraiser. Through Nicole's Fund, set up to fund a Teenage Cancer Trust unit at the Royal Marsden Hospital in Surrey, she raised over £74,000. Prior to this she raised £43,000 to fund 'Nicole's Sweet', a paediatric neuro-rehabilitation suite at King's College Hospital. Nicole was so successful at this that she was recruited by the Teenage Cancer Trust as a regional fundraiser.

Nicole had been short-listed and won numerous awards for her writing and her outstanding fund-raising including Britain's Most Inspiring Fundraiser, Round Table/BBC World Young Citizen, Young People's Choice for the Young Mind Book Award, the Sense Creative Writing Award, a Diana Award and an Anne Frank Award. She had been the subject of a BBC documentary; had meetings with royalty and government ministers; and had passed an English GCSE.

Nicole was supported in her life and her fundraising by her mum Jackie, brother Lee and her much loved dogs Daizy and Molly.