At the end of first term, assignments and exams were coming up and I had a lot on my mind. I was preparing for the upcoming soccer matches and hoping to get captain after being in the team since grade 8. Everything had started to fall into place until I found a bruise on my upper leg. At first I thought it was dirt it was so dark. At the time I didn’t think much of it.

"In the next few weeks more bruises appeared on my knees and ankles"

My best friend got quite worried and told me to see a doctor and quick. I told mum but she didn’t seem too worried and thought it must been some late affects from the glandular fever. Other friends told me that it was probably low iron or something along those lines but I assured them I was fine. I went to a party one weekend. I don’t drink so I remembered everything that happened that night. The next morning I woke up and noticed a bruise on the back of my leg the size of a grapefruit. I could not believe what I was seeing. When I showed mum she booked an appointment with our local GP.

Tuesday morning, the day before my appointment, I had soccer practice as well the voting for the soccer captain. Also we had our photo day. I was really worried my picture would turn out looking horrible because the side of my lip kept bleeding. During the day blood blisters on my tongue, inside my mouth and on my lips appeared. When I got home Mum took me to the doctor straight away. The doctor had one look at me and sent me to the hospital. Over the few hours I was in emergency I felt weak and cold. By the time the results for the blood test had come through it was quite late so they had me admitted over night in the haematology/ oncology ward to keep an eye on me.

"I didn’t think anything of it"

It was March the 9^th of 2005; I had an extensive blood test and a bone marrow test. After the tests my parents left me for the day and were coming back to see the doctor in the afternoon. The doctor had come back to see me early before my parents had arrived. The only word I caught in the whole conversation was leukaemia. Nothing else even registered. I even had to ask him if that’s what he said. I was told they had caught it quickly and that if I hadn’t come in I would not have survived past 6 weeks. When the doctor left I just sat there. I had been diagnosed with APL, short for Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia.

Shortly after that a nurse came in to comfort me and asked if I wanted her to call my parents. She gave me a hug which is what any 16 year old girl just diagnosed cancer would need. She explained what I would be experiencing, things like chemotherapy, procedures and losing my hair.

"My hair started to fall out pretty much straight away. We had a lot of fun with it"

It took me a while before I got up the courage to let them shave it. Before I had it all shaved off I got my name and a star shaved on the back of my head. I never realised how much I would miss it once it was gone.

Everyone else back at school was worrying about QCS tests, final exams and the all important question “What am I going to wear to the formal?”. I was wondering whether I would even make it to the formal. It was hard not being there and missing out on all the 'lasts' you get to experience when you’re in grade 12. I missed so much school and the last thing I wanted to do was repeat. The hardest thing though was rarely ever seeing my friends.

"What happened to me wasn't a horrible thing"

I believe everything happens for a reason. At the time, yeah, it totally sucked to be me. I hated the fact I couldn’t even walk around the ward nor do anything by myself except sleep (which for me was easy). I couldn’t even shower myself. Also the hospital food was rubbish and you know I'm not lying when I say that.

My friends always tell me I have become a better person after having cancer. Being sick helped me realise what was really important to me. Assignments, exams and little fights with friends don’t seem so important now. When you spend all day in a hospital bed you have time to think about who you really are. I figured out what I wanted to do with my life, learned to appreciate others more and to see the best in people.

"I realised how much I loved and appreciated my friends and family"

I now live life to the fullest because you never really know how long you are going to have in this world. At any time something could happen that changes the world as you know it. I try to do everything I can to make my life as happy as possible. Medical treatment at times still means I have to have a slow day every now and then but wherever I am for that day, whatever I am doing, I try to make the most of that opportunity and be happy with what I have.

On April 15^th I will have been in remission for one year. I am currently studying photography and arts administration at TAFE full time and loving it. Soon I will hopefully be playing soccer again.