The reason why I set up this page is because there are several people I know who have or are going through the battle of cancer. Firstly my little sister’s best friend Lydia has been cared for her whole life by her Nan, Lydia loved her nan to pieces, her nan was diagnosed with skin cancer. In 2011 Lydia aged 13 came knocking on the door when my sister holly opened the door her best friend was practically on the floor in floods of tears her Nan had passed away. It broke my heart to see a child at that age to lose her in her eyes parent, to a horrible illness.

A few years down I had a friend called Eden, we were typical teenagers and were forever getting up to mischief for example having flour fights while making cakes with staff from the unit. Eden was always happy and smiling, very friendly and energetic. She never smoked or drank alcohol like the other kids did Eden was just a typical happy teenager. It was November 8 2010 I received a message off Eden ‘Hello my little girlie you ok? Xxx’ my reply was “Hey babes am fab, how are you? xxx”  I then received “not bad love am not well at the min,L what you been up to? Xxx” I did not think anything beyond a cold or the flue my reply to Eden was “Aww bab get the lemsip out and get comfy on the couch! Xxx” the next reply took me by total shock and devastation. “soph wish it was only a cold its worse i got diagnosed with cancer two weeks ago): xxx” I just remember thinking CANCER!! And that was it the word shocked me so much how could someone this young have cancer?. Someone who looked after herself and was one of the nicest girls I knew. Eden told me her amazing story on when she beat cancer. 

Eden's Story ...

 

I was diagnosed in October 2010 with Hodgkin lymphoma in my chest neck and arm pit, I was on stage 2b so I'd had I for a while been through stage one I always had chest infections then one Sunday night I went feeling to well and my mum had to ring an ambulance. I was taken into the royal hospital were I had tests I got discharged with pleurisy a bad chest infection, I was told it will clear up in 3 days if weren't getting any better so I went to my GP. I was asked did I have a chest x ray witch I didn't so I was told to go to Broadgreen hospital there an emergency appointment was waiting for me and my results will be back in 2weeks, I was phoned that night and told I need to go the Linda McCartney centre when I arrived there I was sent for tests. later on that day my mum dad and nan were called into a room I had just turned 16year old and I was In a adults hospital getting spoken to and treated like one, witch was hard as I didn't understand what was going on I just wanted to be home. When we was in the room we were asked to sit down and a consultant was speaking to my family, while a nurse was asking me what test I had done and did they hurt. When she walked away I looked at my mum and just seen her break down crying with my nan hugging her crying, my dad walked over to me and give me a big hug told me he loved me and not to worry. So I asked what was going on I then got told I had cancer. When you hear them words your whole world just stops and you feel it falling apart. We were told to come back in a few days, that night I had to go to break the horrible news to the rest of my family and friends. It was the hardest thing ever, a few days later I was shown round the royal cancer unit. I was scared because they were all adults, I then had the option to go the teenage cancer unit in alder hey oncology, were I was shown around and met all the staff and spoken to and told about my illness like a child. I was told all my side effects that will happen, after a week I was taken in for my operation for a central line and started my treatment. The following week I had a set treatment plan because I was under a clinical trial in Germany, as I was having my treatment the pain was drastically becoming worse, I was getting sicker when I should of been getting better. After having more scans and tests they found out I was allergic to my cemo, I was told I would only be a day case but ended up living in there. I was let home Christmas eve and taken back in boxing night were I was then told that I couldn't survive. The consultant and nurses decided the best thing was ICU-intensive care, I was put under sedition I had wires and tube out of my arms wrist and chest. I was in there for 8 days. My parents were told I might not make it so start planning, I woke up that night and was aloud back to my own room were my mum and dad could stay with me from them my treatment got a little easier I finished my cemo after 6months and then had to under got radiotherapy in Clatterbridge...
When I found out I had cancer It felt like my life flashes before me I was scared and always questions why me?, what have I don't wrong the main thing that scared me was losing my hair. My hair was the main thing to me, I always wore my hair out because it was very long, so when I got told I was going to lose it I broke down. I said I didn't want to go through with treatment, I was then told I would be left with visible scars on my neck and chest. That upset me even more I was a 16 year old girl just left school and got a job to be told this, I sat and cried and questioned what did I do wrong, I should be out with my mates having a laugh instead I'm preparing myself for chemotherapy. As the day went on I learn to get used to it I was still the same girl, but I was challenged to see how brave I was as my mum always said. I was surprised the amount of people that cared people I didn't even know send me cards, letters, flowers and presents even some were lighting candles in church's and praying for me. But the day I lost my hair I couldn’t face anyone all I could see was that bald horrible head, what used to be covered in hair. Eventually I looked round and everyone on the unit had lost their hair so I was just like them. I began to love my bald head, things started looking up when I came out of intensive care, I only had 1 month left of chemotherapy. I was happy after getting my radiotherapy out the way I was asked to go see my consultant, were I was told I was aloud my central line out were all the cemo went in. So when I had that out was the happiest day ever. I finally knew I never had to have any more drugs. The day when my whole life looked up was 9th May 2011 were I was told I had beaten cancer and had the all clear I am now nearly 2years clear (:

September 2012 i moved into student halls for university, i live with 5 girls. We are all very close almost like sisters, before christmas one of my flatmate's mum has been diagnosed with breast cancer. This became at such a shock to my friend Lauren, as her mum is her best friend. Lauren has no brothers or sisters to help her mum through this hard time, she only has Lauren. Lauren moved from Manchester to Liverpool for Uni, with her mum being diagnosed with cancer Lauren is doing her very best to keep on top of her uni work, and be their for her mum.

 

Finally just recently someone very close to me has been diagnosed with liver cancer, a man who takes care of children for a living. Children with no parents abandoned children; in my eyes one of Liverpool’s finest farther’s.  To be told this man has cancer is devastating; he is one of the best men I ever know. He does so much for other people, he’s such a great role model for children and yet he is the one who ends up with cancer. When I found out I had so many emotions running through my body, sadness, scared, helpless and in many terms angry. I was angry for the fact this person has never smoked a cigarette, hardily drinks any alcohol and wouldn’t dream of taking drugs has cancer.

 

 

The worst thing about all of it is I cannot stop cancer, I cannot get rid of cancer but what I can do is try and raise as much money as possible for MacMillian. £100 could pay for a dad to have essential time with a Macmillian benefits advisor, someone to make the system easier to understand. Someone to help him apply for the right benefits to project his family’s home when he had to stop work, someone to help provide information about a grant that could give the family a holiday and a much needed break from treatment and hospital appointments. £300 could help give a woman with breast cancer vital time with a Macmillian nurse, someone to provide her with sensitive answers to the questions she has about her diagnosis, someone to give expectations regarding the results of surgery, someone to offer practical advice on how to cope with the side effects of chemotherapy.

EVERY LITTLE HELPS :)

 

 

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