In 1993 she made her first visit to The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp (THITWGC) in Connecticut USA. This is one of many camps now established by Paul Newman (funded by his food products) which provide children with life-threatening diseases with an opportunity to have a great time. This was a fantastic experience for Bryony - at the end of a rollercoaster week, many strong relationships had been built with other campers and with the leaders. At 12 yrs old Bryony's leg was useless having been debilitated by surgery and a lot of radiotherapy that stunted its growth. Just as she reached the conclusion that a false leg would be better, she was diagnosed with bone cancer caused by excessive radiotherapy, and so amputation was a must. Four months more chemo followed.

Then followed almost 10 years clear of cancer during which she went to Exeter School. There, Bryony developed her love of music, teamed up with her partner Kit and then moved on to Birmingham University where she obtained a 2:1 in Music. Every year, she found a way to return to THITWGC either in USA or Ireland. She became a trainee leader and eventually spent every summer leading many teams of children of all ages, all of whom had a life-threatening condition of some kind. During summer at camp last year her knee started to hurt. Initially she thought it was due to the enthusiastically overactive lifestyle of camp.

At the end of the holidays she returned to England to start teacher training, but her knee deteriorated. Then began a three month battle with her consultant to get him to take possibility of a recurrence seriously. Eventually she had to be admitted to hospital because she was in so much pain. At this point she was finally diagnosed with another radiotherapy-induced bone tumour. Not all of the area that had been irradiated had been amputated. Unfortunately by this time she had secondaries in her lung.

At the end of last year Bryony moved to London with Kit, very close to the Middlesex Hospital that specialises in bone tumours and near her family for support. She was prescribed another 6 months chemo, and an amputation above the knee. Internet research prompted major changes in terms of diet - in line with much current thinking on cancer - and taking a huge range of immune system boosters and anti-cancer agents became a daily ritual. She has now finished chemotherapy, one session short of the six that were prescribed. The point had been reached when it starts to do more damage than good. Unfortunately it has only had a limited effect, keeping the tumours in check but not reducing them. The NHS does not really have anything to offer in this situation, and so Bryony's family have been investigating all the most recent developments in cancer treatment.

Bryony has just started treatment with Dr Julian Kenyon at the Dove Clinic in Hampshire. He has recommended Photodynamic Therapy as the best first treatment for Bryony. The treatment is very expensive! £8000 a cycle! If the results are good, he will probably want to repeat it several times.

OPENING DOORS: Financial donations are vital at this time and hugely appreciated. "Yes to Life" is establishing itself as a registered charity to further its aims to assist others. Bryony's positive attitude has already shone a light for others. Successful alternative treatment will prove that this is a viable option that must be invested in with public funds. Not only could it save Bryony's life, but also the lives thousands of other young people like her. The good news is that there are other possible treatments available if this is not effective. Unfortunately none of these are supported under the National Health System. It is now time to rally our support and show that it is possible to keep going against all odds. Yes To Life desperately needs your generosity to help Bryony and others like her.

We are sorry to have to inform you that Bryony sadly passed away on the evening of Monday 9th August 2004. Bryony put up a brave struggle and was a real inspiration to everyone who knew her and to those who had never met her and our thoughts are with Bryony's family at this difficult time. We have also received this letter that we'd like to share with you.

"Dear Friends,

We are very sad to have to let you know that last Monday at about 6.30pm Bryony passed away, very peacefully, surrounded by Kit and all her family.

We're sorry that this is sudden and unexpected news for most of you, as many of you have not heard anything since before she went in for her surgery. Things moved very fast in the last weeks. About a week after the operation we were told that her cancer had spread a lot, and this was what was causing the problems in her lungs. A few days later her breathing trouble got much worse, and we were all called to her side in the early hours of Monday morning, when it was clear that her lung could not keep going much longer. She wasn't in pain, and most of the time was sleeping, and we sat with her all day until she left, slowly and peacefully.

We know you will share our sorrow at losing such a beautiful human being who was loved and supported by so many people around the world. In her last months, your incredible support and generosity gave her hope and fuelled her courageous fight against her illness. But sadly we did not have time to give her much of the treatment that we hoped could have helped her when conventional doctors had given up. Her time had come and she was ready to go. In her memory we plan to use the remaining money raised to help bring hope, support and treatment to others who are in a similar situation. We have not yet decided the details of how we will do this, but will let you all know as soon as we do.

Please contact us if you would like to know about the arrangements for her funeral in London on August 17 or the celebration of her life which we will be holding in Devon on August 21.

With gratitude and very best wishes, Bryony's Family - Nancy, Robin, Ellen & Myrren"