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Teen undergoing chemotherapy gets sweet surprise from homecoming date

Posted at 7:39 PM, Oct 07, 2015
and last updated 2015-10-07 19:39:17-04

COLLIERVILLE, Tenn. -- A teen who is undergoing chemotherapy for the second time recently got a sweet surprise from her homecoming date.

Allie Allen was diagnosed with anaplastic ependymoma when she was 14 years old, according to Mashable.

She recently relapsed and had to undergo chemotherapy and shave her head once again.

On top of all of that, Allie's mother, Debbi, was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Despite all of the setbacks, Allie hasn't let cancer slow her down.

"I have been getting extremely sick and weak, which I really hate," Allie wrote on her GoFundMe page. "It's so hard going from being an active dancer to not even being able to stand up long enough to brush my teeth some days. But it all comes in waves — one day I won't be able to walk or talk or eat much, while the next day I can feel fine and have energy to do whatever!"

On her GoFundMe page, Allie wrote that the part she dreaded most was shaving off all of her hair.

Now of course the side effect I was dreading the most—hair loss...
Last Wednesday was my 10th round, middle of week 3, when my doctor warned me my hair should be falling out. Wednesday afternoon I
Got out of the shower and brushed my hair and noticed it falling out. Of course I had a meltdown. It's easy for some people to say "it's just hair" but it's hard when you're a teenage girl. I've always been attached to my hair—would freak out if my hairdresser cut off an inch too short. And I always had fun dying my hair cool colors...it started in 5th grade when i dyed it pink if anyone remembers that haha. On Saturday the majority of my hair was falling out and it was just torture to watch. Sunday morning I woke up with about 2 chunks of hair left and I decided to pull a Britney Spears 2007 and shave my head. That was very hard for me to do but that's one thing I got over and am not stressing over it anymore.

Allie became nervous about attending her homecoming dance with a shaved head, but her homecoming date surprised her.

"Brayden Carpenter shaved his head prior to the dance so Allie would feel comfortable," Allie's mom wrote on her Facebook page. "Allie had no clue until he showed up! Now that is class!!!"

Although Allie didn't feel totally comfortable with her shaved head, she said she really appreciated the support from her date.