At 14 I was like any other teenager .. into every sport going , particularly dance and football , loved staying at friends awake until all hours gossiping and laying in until midday!

In 2001 my whole life came crashing down , I was involved in the yr9 sports day at Clyst vale . While messing around with friends I noticed a lump in my lower abdomen . I thought nothing of it but the pain just didn’t go away .. I used the excuse  that I banged in on table in class !

That Sunday while at my dads for the weekend I was heading to work as a waitress at the cat and fiddle . Dad noticed a golf ball sized lump in my skirt and questioned it . I said ‘ oh it’s fine dad , I’ve banged it , it’s nothing ! 

He refused  me to go to work and took me to whipton hospital to have it checked out .. they reassured me it was nothing to worry about but recommended I see my own doc on the Monday . . So I did ! Again , he said probably nothing to worry about but referred me to the peadeatrics to have it checked out . Off I went to the hospital where the doc suggested it could be a ‘ gland , hernia or cyst , however, they will operate to be sure .. I was actually excited . A few days off school, , my first scar .. little did I know !

Back to high school before the end of term and I was buzzing, actually showing off my scar! I’d made plans straight away to stay with my friend Ambers house for the week when we broke up..

while there , two days in my mum phoned and said we are coming to get you! With that , mum and dad turned up ( they have been separated  since I was 3 so very strange ) I got in the car and my mum said ... ‘’ it is cancerous but .. don’t worry , don’t panic , all going to be fine , we can cure it ....

My mind went numb ! Cancer !! Me , no way ! I’m not Ill, not sick , nah not me .. I’m too fit and Healthy !

In the meeting the doctor was chatting away for ages , I didn’t take a thing in ! All I was concerned about was losing my hair , they said there was a 98% chance it will go? I thought phew ! That’s 2 % it won’t go , it can’t no way !

I hated my hair , never did anything with it .. it was long nearing the bottom , id scrape it into a high ponytail and not take much care of it at all... but, suddenly , I looked in the mirror and I loved it , I couldn’t imagine my face with no hair , it is what makes a girl and shapes your face !

Long story short I was diagnosed with non Hodgkin’s lymphoma - large cell anaplastic ( a very rare form ) I had to be treated in Bristol’s children’s hospital every 2 weeks with a two week gap for 6 months !

The tests began . Cat scan ! Bone scan! MRI scan! Operation for my Hickman line to be fitted to which they made a mistake and cut my jugular vein and I had to have an emergency blood transfusion ! Every Monday I had to have a lumber puncture which is a very traumatic procedure in which chemo was inserted into a certain vertebrae in the Spinal chord to make sure no cancerous cells are floating around the brain ..

my cancer was already in my stomach and chest area so it was very important for me to receive a very intense treatment plan . My protocol came form Germany and was very aggressive ... hence I went through every side effect going !

During treatment my body was fine as my immune system was high , however no sooner I was home , I was back in Exeter hospital receiving intravenous anti biopics for every infection going .. It seemed to be a pattern .. one break would be mouth ulcers , the next , down below ..

One time nearing the end of treatment I had everything together .. eye infection, face puffed up on steroids, pale as a ghost as no red blood cells , dark circles around the eyes , couldn’t swallow due to severe mouth ulcers , couldn’t go to the toilet without gas and air as was torture, and couldn’t even bare the sound of my dads newspaper being turned through the peircing sound to the my brain ! It was devastatingly traumatic.. it was the only time I didn’t feel hope, I felt the battle was won .. I was not in control of my body and how it was shutting down . Family members to this day tell me that at that time they prayed that If it was my time to go then let me go and not suffer ...

But.. I never gave up, never did I feel like quitting . I had a beautiful family and the most amazing friends around me who are stil my very best friends to this day !

The girl who was once so athletic , in every sport team going couldn’t even walk up the stairs without being out of breathe , my looks had disappeared .. I did not recognise myself .. I was weak , helpless and had to accept I had to be patient ! Life was cruel !

I went through the most traumatic , gruelling experience ever ,,However , a year on I made it .. I came out the other side ,it was over !

I was told i was unlikely ever to have children .. now I am blessed to have two beautiful boys who make me proud every single day .

Cancer took over me for a reason , it’s made me who I am .. I live life for each day , appreciate  the little things and I try to see the positive in each situation .

Life really is precious and so short .. live it and be happy !

Please please donate for such an amazing cause and help others who are diagnosed find that cure of the brutal diease !!