OK folks, I dunno what tone to use or how much depth to go into, so here is the beginning - all suggestions gratefully received...

"Dear Tracey,

Please forgive this email, it is very hard for me to write, but I am getting a little worried.

Do you know anything about the situation with "Heidi Hayes"? I know she says she is dying and has been in a coma, but unfortunately some of us are very frightened that it might not be true, and people might be being deceived.

I won't go into all the reasons for my suspicions here (although I can supply them if anyone wants to know), but I have had them from the day she posted on the BBS about how she had been told her diagnosis...I am not in the same country, but I was a nurse and I do not know of any doctor who would call a teenaged patient on the telephone while her parents were out of the country, and tell her she has cancer and it's terminal. I know some other people shared my concerns at the time, but I kept quiet because if she really is so ill, goodness knows I would not want her or her family to suffer any more than they already are.

If she doesn't have cancer then obviously she must be in need of psychiatric help, and I am concerned for her mental wellbeing.

The reason for involving the fanclub, is that having apparently woken after a coma, she has immediately started posting on the fanclub board, and is basically asking people to fund her to go and see Darren, as it will be her last chance. Is there any way at all of verifying her story, so that people could decide whether to try and help or not? Also, I am not sure the fanclub message board is the place for anyone to be appealing for donations of money, no matter how noble the cause - although you may disagree and I will respect that."

Comments please?