GBNI has a charity partnership with NICFC (http://www.nicfc.com/) and many of you have been fundraising for this charity all year. This blog will let you see a bit more about what the charity does, and how it has helped someone your age. Let us introduce you to Molly..
We pulled the blanket up closer, it was freezing! It was the middle of the night but we where sailing across the Irish Sea.
Me little Molly was helping to steer the boat as we sailed over the waves, the stars where so bright and the night was so still. It is something I will never forget. It was truly something special for all of us, something we never would have thought possible. You see we had all been sick when we where younger and this was just one of the brilliant things that the Northern Ireland Cancer Fund for Children organised for us, it was a once in a lifetime trip. The year before we had travelled to a sailing center in England and they had taught us to sail, we even met Ellen MacArthur. She has so much determination and drive; she is a big inspiration to me. But this year we were taking part in the round Britain sailing challenge and we had to sail the leg between Largs in Scotland back into Belfast harbour. At the end of our journey we were welcomed in by all our family and some camera crew who had heard of our amazing voyage, sailing across the fearsome Irish Sea in a Sailing boat.
I was just four when I was diagnosed with cancer, the scary thing was I hadn’t been even a bit sick but within a few days I had a kidney removed, radiotherapy and started chemotherapy. This was the worst year for both me and my family but this is where the NICFC stepped in. We where able to take a short break from the treatment and have a weekend away in Shimna Valley residential centre. No doctors, no medicine and most importantly just lots of fun. We where spoiled rotten with Joan’s lovely food (I was so skinny cause hospital food was disgusting!) wee trips out, we even went horse riding! It gave us all something to look forward to.
Over the years NICFC have helped and supported me in so many ways. One of the best things is being with other kids who have been through the same things as me and gaining great new friends. With them I’m not the kid with cancer, I’m just me! They have helped me to become more adventurous and independent I’ve even gone to summer camp in America and stayed with a family I’d never meet. With out the charity none of this would have happened. The NICFC has completely changed my life and I would love to give something back to the charity and have now changed my career path. I now want to become a youth worker and help other young kids that have this illness.
Molly Swan (14)
Dundonald
I enjoyed reading your story Molly and I trust that you are keeping well and will continue to do so.