Jess' Story

16 - joined CanTeen about 1½ years ago; previously had been a member of Camp Quality since she was about 5. They referred Jess and her sister Renee to CanTeen.

My sister was diagnosed with cancer when she was 18 months old. So it was when I was just born. I've never been without it. For my whole life I've lived with her having cancer - lived with her being 'disabled' - I feel normal not like I'm different or that she is different. I have always had cancer in my life.

I don't have any other siblings; it's just the two of us - we get on pretty well. We had both been members of Camp Quality since we were little, and they suggested we join CanTeen. It wasn't because she relapsed or anything.

Expectations?  I had been told a bit about CanTeen by a friend, they told me different things, and I kind of half expected it to be the same as Camp Quality but knew it was for older kids. The first event was a 'Bring a Friend' Picnic - my sister had already joined but she hadn't been on any programs; I didn't know if I wanted to join or not, so I went along to the picnic and I had a good time, met some people and then decided to join.

I met CanTeen members and some staff- they were really friendly; I was still kind of scared, I wasn't comfortable being there yet, but by the end of the day it got better and I felt like I still wanted to be there.

What have you got out of being a Member?

I joined to make friends, and to help other people who have just had a diagnosis to help them with their problems.

At first I just talked to people if they needed me; now I'm on Div committees, I'm on sub-comms - and I'm a Teenlinker.

I think I'd like to be a teacher - being able to stand up in front of people will help with that.

CanTeen - i like that everyone is nice to each other, no one really hates anyone - we all have a chance to bond over something that we have in common - it's easier to bond with someone who's had the same experience than someone who's trained to talk about it.

It's made my life better - it gives a bit of extra something to my life - don't think my life would be different in a bad way but it would be diff because I wouldn't have those friendships.

I think it's important because I know for a fact that i wouldn't be so strong if it had just happened 2 years ago - i don't think i would be as happy and strong as I am if it had just happened to me.

It's good to hear about it [cancer] from a different perspective. In some ways I am lucky because I've been in hospitals with my sister, but I've never had to watch her go through chemo whereas my friends in CanTeen have watched it or they've had it themselves.

For a while she couldn't walk properly - so she spent about 2 months in hospital because of that; she has learning difficulties because the cancer was in her brain tissue; and she's had trouble making friends and relating to people properly. People will come up to me and say, I can't stand your sister - which hurts, and even if I explain to them what it is, they still don't understand. Whereas people at CanTeen understand. They don't judge. They are going through the same thing.