For me, some of the biggest challenges of my treatment were all the things that I had to miss out on or couldn’t do because of check-ups or in case I got ill, particularly days out with my friends. I remember being told I shouldn’t play contact sports at school or go on the trampoline at sleepovers and always being upset because I loved to be active. I used to hate feeling too ill to do things, but when I could, I’d go back to school after chemo and blood transfusions to play netball or football. I was nervous to go to school without my wig on at first but then we had an ‘express yourself’ day and I decided to be brave and go in without my wig. Looking back, I think I’d say to people now to always do what you can, when you can, or you might miss out. Reading books helped me because if I was having an off day, I could take myself to another place and forget everything. I remember sitting in the garden for hours and just reading while my parents worked. Friends helped me a great deal, especially having people who stayed the same when so much else was changing. Playing or chatting with friends is great because it can help distract you or make things feel normal even if they aren’t.
How charity support helped my whole family
Momentum Children’s Charity is a charity that offers tailored support to families across London, Surrey and Sussex, and they helped me immensely by giving me fun things to do and organising for me to meet other people in the same situation. This really helped because treatment could be a lonely experience, so I really wanted to meet other children going through something similar to me.
Momentum also helped my family by including my siblings in activities, like going on their riverboat, which I did with my whole family and particularly enjoyed. We also got to go to their respite cabin together, which helped us get away from everything for a few days, and my mum also went to coffee mornings organised by Momentum Children's Charity where she met other parents.
Life after treatment
My life now is different to before cancer in so many ways. In treatment, one thing I discovered was a love of football and I’m so glad I did. I couldn’t really play at first because of my port-a-cath, but once it was out, I began to play every spare second I had and probably drove my parents crazy! I love football now and play at a high level, which I never thought could be possible for me. I just won the league cup with my team and have made so many new and amazing friends as well that will last a lifetime.
After I started at secondary school, I was asked about what resilience means to me in an English lesson and I talked about my treatment. I didn’t find this easy because it’s a big thing to share with people you don’t know. However, I’m so glad I told them because they’ve helped me when I needed it.
My advice to others
The advice I’d give to others is to find something you enjoy and do it whenever you can and spend time with people you love. Do what you can, when you can, and take advantage of every second. Finally, there’s always a light at the end of the tunnel and sometimes it’s brighter than the one you left behind.
