Anna's Story

I was 9 when Mum was diagnosed with breast cancer. It freaked me out a bit, and I guess I was also scared because I didn't know anything about it.

The initial treatment was successful in killing the tumour, but the cancer came back in her sternum about a year later. This time it was incurable, and Mum passed away in December 2009, three weeks before Christmas.

I joined CanTeen not long after Mum's first diagnosis. I was hoping it would be a chance to escape and talk about what I was going through. We were going to the hospital with Mum a lot when she had to get chemo, and I found a lot of the time my sister and I would just go to the cafeteria because I couldn't watch any of it, it was just too scary for me.

I really found the support I needed at CanTeen. At home I was just trying to carry on and be strong, because I didn't want my feelings to rub off on my sister and make her feel down. But at CanTeen I got the chance to let everything out.

After Mum died I went on a Good Grief camp and it really helped to know how many other people have lost a parent or a sibling. CanTeen helps everyone to understand what it is they have gone through.

The best thing about CanTeen is being able to get away from all your troubles and being able to just have fun with all your friends. I love CanTeen, and if it didn't exist I wouldn't be as open about my cancer experience as I am.

Last year I sold five boxes for Bandanna Day. I like that sense of being able to do something for someone else, and it was really good that everyone supported me at school - pretty much everyone bought a bandanna and wore them.

Every Bandanna Day I wear one - actually, I have seven of them so I just wear them all - around my legs, my wrists and my head, just putting it all out there.