THE personal tales of a Stourton teenager who at 13-years-old was diagnosed with cancer have been detailed in a new book.

Imogen Westwood, now 15, found out the shocking news that she had Ewing’s sarcoma in February 2014 and underwent intensive chemotherapy to tackle a tumour in her upper chest.

But there was light at the end of the tunnel for the Summerhill School student when in April this year she was told she had the ‘all clear’.

Her father Andy told the News: “When Imogen was diagnosed with cancer it came quite out of the blue, and was a huge shock to us all.

“But she is now doing really well. She still has some minor niggles left over from treatment, but she is coping very well with them and is once again enjoying being a “normal teenager” – whatever one of those is!”

Since Imogen’s diagnosis, her family have been running a Facebook support group called ‘Ponies Pineapple and Chemo’, keeping more than 1,200 followers up to date with her latest developments, as well as their fundraising for the Teenage Cancer Trust.

To help boost the charity’s funds, Andy has written a book telling the story from the early days of when they first heard “that terrible news”, through her treatment, which included heading to America for pioneering proton beam radiotherapy, to how gradually Imogen, and the rest of her family, rebuilt their lives.

Talking about the book, entitled “Adventures with Ponies, Pineapple and Chemo: An Everyday Tale of Teenage Cancer”, Andy said: “Although I tended to write many of the Facebook updates, I have never really written anything before, but a friend suggested I should write a book about the whole experience.

“I thought it would be a good way to help other kids and parents who might be facing what we went through, and it was also a way to try to close the chapter on the tough times. In that sense it was a cathartic experience and worth a thousand hours with the shrink.

“It took around a year-and-a-half to write. I dug into the family photo archive from the time, spoke with all the family members, pulled out my own journals, notes, Immy's medical records and so on, so that it was as accurate as it could be.

“Believe it or not, it isn’t quite the depressing read you might expect. There is some dark humour and – I think – some genuinely funny stories to tell.

“Overall it carries a message of hope and optimism. The journey through teenage cancer is difficult, there is no disguising that. Some kids do not make it. But there is a benefit from thinking positively, and that’s what I would like people to take away from reading it.”

200 paperback copies of Adventures with Ponies, Pineapple and Chemo: An Everyday Tale of Teenage Cancer have now been printed and are available for £10, plus £3.50 postage and packaging, with all proceeds being donated to the Teenage Cancer Trust.

For more information, or to purchase a copy, email poniespineapplechemo@gmail.com