TEENAGER Alex Eland does not think she has done anything special - but plenty of other people do.

The 17-year-old, who has been nominated for one of The Northern Echo's Positive Young People awards, was diagnosed with Hodgkins' Disease three years ago.

Since then, she has undergone intensive chemotherapy, lost her hair, faced losing the use of her left arm, was told she had an ovarian cyst and was recently diagnosed with alopecia.

Yet throughout, Alex has continued to work as a volunteer with children, never letting them know how seriously ill she was.

"I was a bit scared because to me cancer meant dying," she said.

"But I don't like worrying people. I just get on with it and deal with it in my own way. I don't expect people to think I'm special."

The cancer diagnosis came when Alex was 14 and in the middle of her GCSEs at Carmel Technology College, in Darlington.

She spent a lot of time off school but still managed to pass three examinations.

Alex went into remission 16 months ago, but was dealt a further blow when it was found that surgery had severed a nerve in her shoulder.

She was told she could lose all feeling in her left arm, so opted to have more surgery to graft a nerve from her ankle into her shoulder. The operation was a success.

Doctors then told Alex she had a cyst on her ovary, for which she had to undergo more treatment.

Finally, after growing her hair back last year, Alex was diagnosed with alopecia and has lost most of her hair again.

"I was really upset about that," she said.

"The doctors have said there's nothing they can do, but it seems to be slowly coming back."

Jenny Kerwin, from Darlington Millennium Volunteers, nominated Alex for the award for her bravery and dedication to volunteering.

She has given up hours of her time to work with Brownies and Rainbows in Cockerton and disabled children on the Dash playscheme.

"Alex never told the children that she had cancer," said Ms Kerwin.

"She sometimes told them she was feeling unwell and always wore caps or her wig so that she did not alarm the children with her loss of hair.

"Despite the devastating news about her shoulder, Alex maintained her dignity and kept up her enthusiasm for working with children. She felt upset and angry, but refused to blame anyone."

Alex hopes to work full-time with children eventually, but recently had to drop out of a childcare course at Darlington College of Technology because she had lost so much time.

"I'm going back in September, but at the moment I really need a job," she said.

"I just want to get on with my life now."

Alex will receive her award with more than 100 other youngsters, at a ceremony at Darlington Civic Theatre tonight