When my mother was diagnosed cancer, I was very young. I saw my mother as a friend rather than a mother, we did everything together. I would often tell my mother about things with great enthusiasm.
When she had to go into hospital and I couldn’t contact her, I started using the laptop as a way of getting over my depression. I became addicted, I forgot about my sadness. But I would get sad again when I went to go and tell my mother something, only to remember she wasn’t here. But I would Roleplay with people online, pretend to be someone else to forget my problems. I made a few friends, and one really close friend, but I was truly lonely. School was no help, I’d lose my temper a lot easier and people would pick on me more because I was weaker. I only had one friend I could depend on at school; I couldn’t even depend on my teacher. I’ve kept this addiction to the computer ever since, I get violent easily if the internet or computer is turned off. Just because my mother was gone for a month.
I never wanted anyone to go through something like this again so when we had to pick and research a charity of our choice, I immediately went for Pseudomyxoma Survivor. We had to prepare a speech and present it to the rest of our form. There would be a vote and the winner would have to give their speech to the whole of Year 8. The winning charity from this would be the one that we would raise funds for.
I used a lot of personal experience and facts in my speech to my form, but I didn’t win in my form. Another group won (most people worked in groups). However, they didn’t want to speak in front of the whole of Year 8, so second was chosen. Pseudomyxoma Survivor. Me. I later did my speech to the whole of Year 8 and had to wait for ages for the results. When I finally heard the results that the top three charities had been selected to raise money for and hearing Pseudomyxoma Survivor is one of them, I was extremely happy but it hadn’t hit me properly yet. It was only when I told my mother when it finally hit me and I cried with happiness.
One of the teachers said: “Put your hand up if you knew what PMP and Pseudomyxoma Survivor was before the assembly.” Obviously, only my close friends put their hands up.
“Now, put your hands up if you know what PMP and Pseudomyxoma Survivor are.” The whole year group put their hands up. “I think Kira did an excellent job and has been so brave to do it by herself.”
When my mother was diagnosed cancer, I was very young. I saw my mother as a friend rather than a mother, we did everything together. I would often tell my mother about things with great enthusiasm.– Kira
A big thank you to Year 8 at Colmers School and Sixth Form College in the UK, and especially to Kira, for all the support!
A big thank you to Year 8 at Colmers School and Sixth Form College in the UK, and especially to Kira, for all the support!