A TEENAGER who bravely battled illness has set herself 12 months of challenges to mark five years since being told she was cancer-free.

Francesca Wheatley, 19, was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2010 and was supported by children and young people’s cancer charity CLIC Sargent.

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The former Clitheroe Royal Grammar School student will take on a different challenge every month from October, the anniversary of her being told that she was cancer-free.

The milestone means that Francesca will officially be a cancer survivor, something that seemed a long way away when she was first diagnosed aged 14.

Included on her list is a sky dive, an abseil attempt and a bid to climb Ben Nevis.

Francesca, who lives in Woodland Park, Whalley, said: “I wanted to do something big to mark the milestone and celebrate it properly.

“It’s about recognising what has happened but to also appreciate life and live it to the full.

“I sat down with my parents and we came up with this idea and we put together the list of challenges.

“Some are out of my comfort zone and others are some that I have always wanted to do.”

“One of the challenges is to graduate and that’s on the list because I made a real effort to continue with my education, despite how sick I was.

“I wanted to achieve everything that my peers were and I wanted to keep up with them because education is so important. For me that’s a really important event in 2016.”

Following her diagnosis, Francesca underwent chemotherapy for six months followed by seven weeks of daily radiotherapy and four operations.

Since being given the all-clear the social policy student at the University of Birmingham has raised more than £9,000 for CLIC Sargent and is hoping to top £10,000 during her latest fundraising drive.

She has already held a series of fundraising balls and organised a flash mob in the centre of Manchester in 2013.

She added: “It’s amazing that I have raised more than £9,000 so far and it would be great if I could reach the £10,000 mark by the end of the challenges in 2016.”

For more information or to donate visit: http://francesca3004.wix.com/fjwfundraising