For Laurie, 15, finding out she had cancer still stands as a defining moment in her young life.
“It feels like yesterday I found out I had cancer. I didn’t even know what leukaemia was and when the doctor said it was a type of cancer, I was scared. In the movies, a lot of people get really sick and can even die from cancer and I thought that was what was going to happen to me.
Due to the chemotherapy, my hair started to fall out. I remember walking into high school on my first day wearing a bandanna and feeling really self-conscious because I kept thinking everyone was staring at me. I had to stop playing netball (which I LOVED!) and had to miss out on things like dances, camps and parties.
My teachers would send some school work to the hospital but I still fell pretty far behind. I was finally given the all clear only to receive a devastating phone call. I had relapsed. I was so scared but had an amazing support network around me. I remember my mum saying, “You’ve beat it once, you can beat it again.”
After a bone marrow transplant and another bout of chemotherapy and radiation, I’m on the road to recovery again. In 2009, I was given the good news that I had beaten it for the second time and could start the remission process. I was so happy. I finally believed I was going to get through it.
I now have a better outlook on life. You’ll never catch me damaging my body or doing drugs, and I’m grateful for being able to live my life again. Never take things for granted because you never know what might happen.”
CanTeen is an Australian organisation that supports young people who live with cancer, just like Laurie. Hit up CanTeen.org.au for more info.
*Model is in no way associated with this story*
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