‘Cancer doesn’t stop us smiling’
TEEN cancer sufferers have spoken of their gruelling battles against the disease for a new TV documentary.
Natasha McNeil and Nairn Archer had chemotherapy at Glasgow’s Royal Hospital for Children which has a specialist ward for teens.
Natasha, who has Hodgkin’s lymphoma, said: “When somebody says the word ‘cancer’ you just go blank.
“When my hair started falling ED GLEAVE out, that’s when it properly sunk in.”
But even then Natasha, refused to let it get her down.
In the film Growing Up With Cancer she says: “I thought ‘I’m never going to walk out bald’ and said ‘I’ll always wear my wig’. But now I don’t care if people look at me because it’s not their life.
“I can’t always wear a wig. It hurts my ears sometimes, it gives me a sore head, it’s boiling.”
Nairn, 14, who also 15, has Hodgkin’s lymphoma, went all out to help his frantic parents cope.
He said: “I don’t want my mum and dad to be worried and I wouldn’t want anyone else to be. The smile on my face helps them cope with it a bit better.
“I need to keep that smile on because I know it’s helping them get through.”
Nairn, who suffered nasty side effects including hair loss, added: “I don’t like that feeling of ‘I’m so sorry’. It really brings down the mood. I’d just rather everyone acted like normal.”
The Teenage Cancer Trust ward in Glasgow has a specialist, Dr Nick Heaney, dedicated to treating adolescents and it provides activities for patients.
Natasha said: “It’s more like a youth club than a hospital. It’s a great place to hang out. We can relate to each other. You meet other teenagers with cancer who understand what it’s like.”
After months of treatment, Natasha is in remission.
She said: “Now I’ll never take health for granted. Anything can happen at any point. I’ll just focus on my health and my education now. That is it.”
Natasha’s friendship has proved vital for Nairn.
He said: “Natasha was really supportive and it was really helpful talking to her about what kind of symptoms she had, what she went through.
“I think she helped me embrace what was wrong with me a bit more comfortably. I’m just going to continue life as it was before.”
Growing Up With Cancer is on BBC One tomorrow at 7.30pm.