Well, cystic fibrosis is something you're born with, so she'd have grown up knowing she was going to die. It sounds like you'd be better off with an acquired illness, otherwise she'd just have told him back when they were in regular contact.
How about cancer? Research which kinds of cancers have really bad survival rates and are likely to be seen in a teenager.
If I'm asking for advice on a story idea, don't tell me it can't be done.
Insert witty title here
Yeah, I thought that about Cystic Fibrosis.
As for cancer, it makes sense, but the friend would notice just as he saw her. Unless she can't be treated.
edited 16th Feb '11 5:52:50 PM by risingdreams
Isn't Cancer the number one killer of children?
I know people treated for Leukemia (spelling?) only have about a 15% chance of survival, and that's when they get treatment.
Insert witty title here
Yeah... Makes sense, but I kind of not want the girl to lose her hair, as that would be a dead giveway she's with cancer.
I think Chemotherapy causes the hair to fall out, not the Cancer itself.
You could have her wear a wig so it's not immediately obvious - might help revealing she's undergoing treatment if she's willing to take it off, since that's why she's going in the first place - or, if it's not too implausible (or illegal), refusing chemo because she doesn't think it's worth the various negative effects, and any alternatives aren't working too well. Maybe the chemo is generally ineffective on that type of cancer, or chemotherapy's only likely to extend her life by a couple of months. (Could make for extra drama, if you'd like it to - it's an option she's not taking, and he doesn't understand why.) Or religious/economic reasons.
edited 16th Feb '11 6:57:35 PM by greedling
You will not go to space today.
Not to sound cliche, but HIV is a really good disease for the "undetected" part.
Maybe she was in an accident and needed a blood transfusion, which turned out to be HIV-contaminated due to a really, really bad fluke.
Some people live for years without much problems, but HIV has very vague symptoms so she and her doctor might mistake it for more minor illnesses until she gets some random disease that a supposedly-healthy person shouldn't even get—which is when everyone would finally test for/realize it, and hence she would head over to her friend with the news.
edited 16th Feb '11 8:24:15 PM by Sharysa
I know this is a bit of a weird topic, and even a bit triggering, but is that I'm planning to write a story with an Ill Girl who decides visiting a long distance friend to tell him she might be dying. Thing is, I want to avoid Soap Opera Disease and while I did my research on some illnesses, I'm a bit confused.
I thought cystic fibrosis, but I'm a bit afraid of messing up. Would anyone know about any disease that could kill a seventeen years old, but couldn't be detected by someone unless he or she paid some attention?
Sorry for being a moron.