It all started on Wednesday – June 14, 2000, I can still remember that day when they turned around and told me i had serious cancer to my left kidney. I remember it like it was yesterday, reason being i remember it so well, cos it was my 11th birthday.

Prior to that day i had been suffering serious back pain around my kidney area, i took plenty of pain killers but nothing would touch it, i would be going to bed and crying myself to sleep cos the pain was too much for me to handle. For a 11 year old you can imagine how it was for me. I kept telling my parents that i wanted to go to the doctors, my mother would say “go lay down” which hit me hard at times, my father wanted to take me but my mother would not allow it, in her words she thought i was being stupid and “crying for nothing” but she obviously couldn’t see the pain through my eyes and behind the tears i cried everynight. I hate her for that! The pain did get to much for me and i went against my parents word, So what i did was horrible and silly at the same time, but if i hadn’t of done it i maybe not here today telling this story to you. I cut my wrists deep “A cry for help!” and at the time i was like the only way, But i was rushed to hospital nearly dead. My heart stopped for approx 5 mins for the lose of blood, from the wounds on my wrist. I spent 3 weeks in hospital due to the pain in my back, they did tests after spending 2 weeks in “Special care” the doctors came back with good news saying i could go home, but a few days later i was rushed back in from collapsing and from that they did more tests, they rang me parents to tell them serious news that i had cancer, my parents looked in horror well my father did, not so much for my mother.

Treatment was taken their and then from that day, the doctor who was treating me was shocked that i was still here and said i have a 9% chance of pulling through, many thoughts went through my head when i heard that, i cried and you know what my mother did. . She slapped me telling me to stop being darn silly, seriously. . what kind of mother does that to a child who is seriously ill, i know i wouldn’t!