Fighting cancer with 'dancing and laughter'

A video of a cancer patient dancing in defiance of her condition while still in her hospital ward has gone viral.

More than two million people have watched it on Facebook and Instagram in the two days since it was published.

In the upbeat video, Ana-Alecia Ayala dances with her "chemo buddy" Danielle Andrus in a Texas hospital, while still connected to her intravenous lines.

The pair smile and laugh while performing the internet dance craze "TZ Anthem".

"Who says cancer and chemo have to get you down? We'll have the last laugh!" Ana-Alecia boldly states on her Instagram page.

She says she wants to show the world that "dancing and laughter" are the best medicine.

Her video is clearly proving inspirational, with thousands leaving positive messages on her social media posts - many of which are variations on the single-word: "beautiful".

"Love your video and your positive attitude. Such an inspiration. Praying for you!" Valerie Faulkner Bentley said on Facebook.

"Keep on dancing beautiful girl. Praying for you. Thank you for inspiring others. Sharing with my Facebook friend that has breast cancer. She needs this," Laura Swiatovy Roy-Gures commented.

"You're such an inspiration! Keep pushing beautiful you've got a big team cheering you on. Loved watching the positive vibes! Sending hugs from Houston," KK Garcia writes on Instagram.

Ana-Alecia was diagnosed with a rare tumour in her uterus in December 2015. Since then she has undergone surgery twice and started chemotherapy, according to her gofundme page.

She is being treated at the Baylor T Boone Pickens Cancer Hospital in Dallas, Texas.

Ana-Alecia told local news channel KVUE that she wants to inspire others "not to look at cancer as a death sentence".

"I also want to encourage cancer patients' loved ones to step out of their comfort zones and be silly, have a dance party, be present in the moment and have a great time," she told the channel.

By Nathan Williams, BBC UGC & Social news team