The year is 1999. Around 12 years ago give or take. I’d just finished my last day of primary school for the summer. The sun was shining and I had 8 weeks of summer holiday to look forward to. As a kid, this was amazing. Creating makeshift dens, waging phoney wars against other den creators and playing football all day long with my friends – nothing was better than this. I remember my dad coming to pick me up from school that day and I instantly wondered where my wee sister was. Bounding about the play park next to my primary school, I asked my Dad where in fact she was.
“She’s not been well. Mum took her to the doctors and they’ve taken her to Ninewells Hospital for a closer look. There’s nothing to worry about”
As a 10 year old, I thought nothing bad could happen to her. She was the most precious thing in my life. I thought nothing more of it until she never came home that night. I started to get worried. The next day, I was told I had to go stay at my Grandma’s with my brothers who lived less than a mile away. It was only for a few days I was told. So a few days past. 7 days came and went. 14 soon followed. I knew even at that age, something was seriously wrong. I asked my Grandma every day for 3 weeks when in fact I’d get to see my wee sister. She was my best friend. Me and my brothers adored her. Going this long without her was making us all frustrated, curious and worried.
Eventually, we were informed we had to go to “Edinburgh Sick Kids” hospital on the Saturday. I couldn’t wait to go - despite the ominous sound of what it suggested. As much as I loved staying at my Grandmas, eating as much “Marks and Spencers” food as we could possibly eat, I missed her so much.
The Saturday soon arrived. I remember waking up that day to a terrible migraine. The last thing I needed was a 60 mile trip to Edinburgh, with the light bursting through the windows to intensify the burning sensation in my head. But all I was concerned about was my wee sister. Before leaving for Edinburgh, we had to pick up a few bare essentials for my mum and dad at home. So we made the short journey home. I waited in the car, curled up in a ball nursing my headache. I then bolted upright as I heard the piercing scream of my brother Stephen coming from the house. I bounded inside and wondered what on earth had happened. What I witnessed was total devastation. Everything had gone! And I mean everything. I remember feeling empty as I saw my piggy bank smashed on the dining room table, with only the 1 and 2p’s scattered across the table left. That was probably the only thing that they didn’t steal. The police were called but as soon as they arrived, my Grandma and Grandpa were trying to usher them away as quickly as possible. We had more important business to attend to in Edinburgh.
As we were packed into the car, crying uncontrollably, I remember my Grandpa switching the radio on. One song reminds me of this day – “I want it that away” by “The Backstreet Boys. Yeah, awful song. But the lyrics, looking back, are quite fitting. No matter what you want in life, it won’t turn out the exact way you planned and you have to make the most of the hand you’ve been dealt. This was proved as we strolled up to “Edinburgh Sick Kids” hospital. I remember my Grandma saying to my dad “You’ve had some unexpected visitors”. Looking visibly shattered and confused, it soon dawned on him the house had been burgaled and everything was gone. But what surprised me was that he didn’t look bothered at all. 30 seconds was the length of time that was discussed on this matter before attention was refocused on why we were there in the first place. We were ushered into a room. Wimbledon was on in the background. I remember playing with a basketball with my brother, watching Pete Sampras in the background on TV to pass the time. We were taken out one by one by my dad to the corridor as my Grandad and brothers waited inside. He said “Kevin, I know you know your wee sister hasn’t been well. She has to stay in Edinburgh for a while longer yet. She has cancer. Leukaemia”. I remember asking what this big complicated word was before my dad said we could go and visit her. But only for 5 minutes as she was isolated in a ward of her own to prevent her getting an infection. We were ushered into the small, cramped room where my sister was being held and what I witnessed will stay with me forever. She was chalk white, weak and connected to as many machines that could fit into the room. I burst into tears, gave her a hug and told her how much I loved her. I honestly thought that was the last time I was ever going to see her again.
This brief visit cemented my love for her forever. At 3 years old, she battled through numerous rounds of chemotherapy without ever once complaining. I was reminded of this fact when I went home to my mum and dads recently to look after my sister. We decided to get some pizza and watch some home videos. Up popped a clip of my sister who had no hair due to her chemotherapy, in bed being filmed by my dad. They were both clutching her “Prayer Bear”, praying for her to get better. And all that time, she had a massive cheeser on her face. She knew she’d battle through it and she did! She’s a real fighter and my hero, aswell as my best friend.
So amazingly, it’s her 15th birthday on Thursday. As ever, she is getting spoiled by her big brother and the shopping list she’s drawn out is quite extensive…even topping last years! But she knows the most important present she is getting is her health and that is something which money can’t buy.
But money can help. “Tayside Children with Cancer and Leukaemia” (TCCL) are a local charity supporting sufferers and their families through these difficult times, just like they did with my family. The work they do is amazing…everything from providing financial support to families, as more often than not the parents have to give up work to care for their child, to sending kids on days out and offering bereavement counselling to the families of children who didn’t survive this terrible disease. The work they do is really quite incredible.
So I ask you, my friends, to sponsor me to do the BUPA Great Edinburgh Run in October. All proceeds will go directly to TCCL. Your money will make a massive difference and allow the charity to support cancer sufferers and their families during these tough economic times.
Thanks for your support!
Click here to donate to TCCL
More information about the charity
Tayside Children with Cancer and Leukaemia
Picture of me and my sister
“She’s not been well. Mum took her to the doctors and they’ve taken her to Ninewells Hospital for a closer look. There’s nothing to worry about”
As a 10 year old, I thought nothing bad could happen to her. She was the most precious thing in my life. I thought nothing more of it until she never came home that night. I started to get worried. The next day, I was told I had to go stay at my Grandma’s with my brothers who lived less than a mile away. It was only for a few days I was told. So a few days past. 7 days came and went. 14 soon followed. I knew even at that age, something was seriously wrong. I asked my Grandma every day for 3 weeks when in fact I’d get to see my wee sister. She was my best friend. Me and my brothers adored her. Going this long without her was making us all frustrated, curious and worried.
Eventually, we were informed we had to go to “Edinburgh Sick Kids” hospital on the Saturday. I couldn’t wait to go - despite the ominous sound of what it suggested. As much as I loved staying at my Grandmas, eating as much “Marks and Spencers” food as we could possibly eat, I missed her so much.
The Saturday soon arrived. I remember waking up that day to a terrible migraine. The last thing I needed was a 60 mile trip to Edinburgh, with the light bursting through the windows to intensify the burning sensation in my head. But all I was concerned about was my wee sister. Before leaving for Edinburgh, we had to pick up a few bare essentials for my mum and dad at home. So we made the short journey home. I waited in the car, curled up in a ball nursing my headache. I then bolted upright as I heard the piercing scream of my brother Stephen coming from the house. I bounded inside and wondered what on earth had happened. What I witnessed was total devastation. Everything had gone! And I mean everything. I remember feeling empty as I saw my piggy bank smashed on the dining room table, with only the 1 and 2p’s scattered across the table left. That was probably the only thing that they didn’t steal. The police were called but as soon as they arrived, my Grandma and Grandpa were trying to usher them away as quickly as possible. We had more important business to attend to in Edinburgh.
As we were packed into the car, crying uncontrollably, I remember my Grandpa switching the radio on. One song reminds me of this day – “I want it that away” by “The Backstreet Boys. Yeah, awful song. But the lyrics, looking back, are quite fitting. No matter what you want in life, it won’t turn out the exact way you planned and you have to make the most of the hand you’ve been dealt. This was proved as we strolled up to “Edinburgh Sick Kids” hospital. I remember my Grandma saying to my dad “You’ve had some unexpected visitors”. Looking visibly shattered and confused, it soon dawned on him the house had been burgaled and everything was gone. But what surprised me was that he didn’t look bothered at all. 30 seconds was the length of time that was discussed on this matter before attention was refocused on why we were there in the first place. We were ushered into a room. Wimbledon was on in the background. I remember playing with a basketball with my brother, watching Pete Sampras in the background on TV to pass the time. We were taken out one by one by my dad to the corridor as my Grandad and brothers waited inside. He said “Kevin, I know you know your wee sister hasn’t been well. She has to stay in Edinburgh for a while longer yet. She has cancer. Leukaemia”. I remember asking what this big complicated word was before my dad said we could go and visit her. But only for 5 minutes as she was isolated in a ward of her own to prevent her getting an infection. We were ushered into the small, cramped room where my sister was being held and what I witnessed will stay with me forever. She was chalk white, weak and connected to as many machines that could fit into the room. I burst into tears, gave her a hug and told her how much I loved her. I honestly thought that was the last time I was ever going to see her again.
This brief visit cemented my love for her forever. At 3 years old, she battled through numerous rounds of chemotherapy without ever once complaining. I was reminded of this fact when I went home to my mum and dads recently to look after my sister. We decided to get some pizza and watch some home videos. Up popped a clip of my sister who had no hair due to her chemotherapy, in bed being filmed by my dad. They were both clutching her “Prayer Bear”, praying for her to get better. And all that time, she had a massive cheeser on her face. She knew she’d battle through it and she did! She’s a real fighter and my hero, aswell as my best friend.
So amazingly, it’s her 15th birthday on Thursday. As ever, she is getting spoiled by her big brother and the shopping list she’s drawn out is quite extensive…even topping last years! But she knows the most important present she is getting is her health and that is something which money can’t buy.
But money can help. “Tayside Children with Cancer and Leukaemia” (TCCL) are a local charity supporting sufferers and their families through these difficult times, just like they did with my family. The work they do is amazing…everything from providing financial support to families, as more often than not the parents have to give up work to care for their child, to sending kids on days out and offering bereavement counselling to the families of children who didn’t survive this terrible disease. The work they do is really quite incredible.
So I ask you, my friends, to sponsor me to do the BUPA Great Edinburgh Run in October. All proceeds will go directly to TCCL. Your money will make a massive difference and allow the charity to support cancer sufferers and their families during these tough economic times.
Thanks for your support!
Click here to donate to TCCL
More information about the charity
Tayside Children with Cancer and Leukaemia
Picture of me and my sister
It breaks my heart. Your sister have a pretty face.
