Tommy was diagnosed with cancer just after his thirteenth birthday.
“I was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia; a cancer of blood and bone marrow that affects your white blood cells caused when a bone marrow cell develops changes within its DNA.
“I didn't really understand a lot of it when I was diagnosed, as it was all a huge shock to me. I felt deeply confused, unsure about my future and whether I would ever return to normal life. The sudden uncertainty and the drastic change in my life over that time was incredibly stressful.”
Being diagnosed with cancer as an adolescent can be distressing and disrupts critical developmental milestones. It can affect psychological, social, and physical growth, as well as the transition to forming a stable identity and independence.
“I had previous kidney issues, which made chemotherapy very complicated, and my body reacted worse than the doctors expected. The most challenging part was when I had a severe allergic reaction to my chemotherapy, pegaspargase, which led to me being in a coma for a week.
“Relearning to walk after this was incredibly difficult and coping with the near-death experience required immense willpower.
“During treatment, everything around me was deeply affected. It ostracised me from many opportunities, causing me to miss out on school events, time with friends, and normal childhood experiences.
“I feared losing my friends due to being isolated in hospital and my compromised immune system meant I missed countless moments with them. High school was particularly challenging due to some of the chemotherapy side effects, which made it hard to move and left me constantly fatigued. These side effects have continued and impact me to this day.”
Cancer doesn’t just end after treatment. Rangatahi may be facing ongoing challenges – like long-term side effects and finding ways to cope with what life looks like now.
“I connected with Canteen during treatment, and it provided me with a safe space where I could share my experiences with people who understood what I was going through. However, it wasn’t until more recently, ten years after my diagnosis, that the late effects of cancer treatment really started to affect my life.
“I started to struggle with my personal and work life immensely. My chronic fatigue and low immune system meant I started to perform poorly at my job and had no energy to socialise or leave the house. I started struggling with my mental health as I was worried about missing out on life and my job security. I ended up starting to struggle financially due to missing work shifts and eventually resigned from my job because my mental health and physical struggles were too overwhelming.”
Canteen’s specially trained staff are there to support rangatahi to talk about the tough stuff and help them manage all the things they might be dealing with.
“In 2023, I reconnected with Canteen to discuss the late effect complications I faced, and how to manage them while balancing my job and relationships. I began having life-changing support facilitated by the Canteen clinical team, who lifted me up, helped me overcome obstacles, feel more content with my body, and put me on track to start living a better quality of life. I began taking better care of myself, and I'm grateful for the supportive environment at Canteen where I can freely discuss concerns that I couldn't share with my friends.
“Since the support from Canteen, I’ve been able to bond closer with friends and gain confidence in making new ones. It's improved my ability to prioritise my personal and work life and has made sustaining a job with my health problems less stressful. Canteen has been transformative for my personal growth, and I'm immensely grateful for the support I've received.”
Canteen has a proud history of rangatahi leadership and aims to provide rangatahi with opportunities to develop skills and connections that will benefit rangatahi for the future.
“The Leadership Programme at Canteen has allowed me to contribute to a space where people impacted by cancer feel safe and comfortable sharing their stories. I’ve never felt so welcomed into a space and it’s such a precious moment in my life that I'm so grateful for.
“Attending Leadership Camp led me to refocus my shift in life. It really motivated me to get more involved in helping others who have had similar experiences to me. I want to help make sure that everyone who has access to Canteen’s services can has an equally amazing experience as I did, and more.
“Whether you’re 13 or 24, everyone is valued and respected, and I’m so happy to be part of making Canteen the best it can be.”
