THIS MUCH I KNOW

Jess Quinn

I never look back, but I have the physical

reminder — not having a leg. I don’t look at it negatively, it’s always been a part of my life. I guess don’t know what I remember or what I know because of stories and photos. I fractured my leg six months before I was diagnosed [with cancer] and I remember that clearly. I think the naivety of being a child is what saved me.

I did just literally get up and get on with it. I remember thinking “I have lost my leg”, but getting m prosthetic and thinking, “well, I have another one”. And the doctor saying it might take me a while to get used to it. But even then I wanted to get back to school and sport and things like going to my friend’s birthday party, like yo do when you’re 9.

The implication of what happened didn’t hit me

until adolescence. I was going through the norma body issues that young girls go through but I realised that this is the rest of my life and it’s going to be quite hard. When I hit 13, 14, I remember struggling a lot. I didn’t wan to go out. I didn’t have the confidence that my friends d d. I remember getting ready to go out to parties and they were all putting on their high heels and I couldn’t do that. I would never wear shorts. I’d make excuses to leave the part and I’d have a bit of a cry. Anyone has body issues at that age but it really hit me then. It was tough for about five years.

I wouldn’t change too much about myself. I honestly wouldn’t change a thing I have gone throug . It’s mostly positive the way it’s impacted on my life.

I’ve been mentoring kids since I was about

five years out of remission. The nature of my surgery was so unusual that I’ve helped other kids, because I was one of the first.

I love the contact with kids. I kind of bring a sense of normality and humour and talk to kids at their level. If I do talk about cancer or if they’re having an amputation, I talk about it in simple, basic terms so it’s not heavy for them. Something I’ve always hated is sympathy — being looked at as if I’m vulnerable. So with kids, I’m just real about it. The parents are the ones who want to talk about it a lot.

When I’m training I’m at my happiest. That’s partly to do with the people I surround myself with. My [fitness] coach. I could be having the worst day, and the minute I walk in it just falls off me. There’s a sense of no judgment.

I don’t put up many filters. Instagram. Instafamous. I have no ambition to be big on social media. It’s a tool to spread my message but I don’t have an interest in the fame side of it. It can be a superficial world.

I’m not religious but I believe everything happens for a reason. You can use what’s happened to you and make it good.

On Pinterest I like reading inspirational quotes. My only mantra is: choose your own definition of your adversity — some choose to deny what’s happened and others fight it. You have to choose that for yourself. But adversity isn’t necessarily negative. You can turn it on its head. It doesn’t have to be your life path, like it has been for me. Just define it for yourself.

MARCH IS THE FOUNDATION’S ANNUAL APPEAL MONTH. TOMORROW IS CHILDREN’S DAY.