Inspirational cancer survivor Nicole Dryburgh is set for a busy few weeks.

Nicole (right), who used to write a fortnightly column for this newspaper, has been battling cancer since the age of 11, when she was diagnosed with a tumour on her spine.

But now she is about to turn 21 and early next month she is releasing her second book.

In 2008, at the age of 18, Nicole was blind and mainly confined to a wheelchair but she refused to be defeated by her condition ande channelled her energy into writing her first book, The Way I See It.

Documenting Nicole’s fight to rebuild her life after cancer, the book received widespread admiration and prompted support for her fundraising, notably from Prince Harry.

In the two years since the book was published, Nicole, from Seasalter, has suffered almost total loss of hearing and now communicates using deaf-blind signing.

She is battling on, however, and is preparing to release a second book, Talk to the Hand, which is a continuation of her memoirs.

Having raised thousands for charity, she has also been recruited as a fundraiser by the Teenage Cancer Trust.

Nicole said: "I’m really excited to be bringing out my second book. I feel like a proper author now.

"I haven’t really thought about my next book. I’d like to write more, but there’s no more at the moment."

Her mother, Jackie, added: "Now she has the book and been able to hold and smell it, it finally seems real.

"Nicole did the whole book with no help whatsoever and I am incredibly proud of her.

"It is brilliant that she can offer encouragement to others."

Talk to the Hand is due to be released on February 4.