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When You’re Moving You Get A Feeling Of Wow!

Dancing is my thing! I’ve always been fit and healthy and I love to exercise so when I was diagnosed with neuroblastoma three years ago at the age of 12, it came as a big shock. Out of the blue a lump appeared on my neck beside my collar bone and my right eye became swollen but I didn’t ever imagine it would be cancer. I got the diagnosis quite quickly after a series of tests and a few weeks later I started chemo.

My tumour is very stubborn (!) and I’m now on my 9th or 10th treatment. The hospital has become my second home! When I was in London for radiotherapy last year I was told about MOVE Against Cancer’s programme for young people. I’d struggled with movement throughout my treatment because I had no energy so I got referred to the programme.

My cancer rehab instructor Steph was amazing. I did 9 sessions with her and she incorporated lots of dance moves into my warm-ups which I loved! We built up my strength, worked with resistance bands as I couldn’t pick up weights and did lots of strengthening and mobility exercises. I’ve danced all my life but found it hard during treatment so it was wonderful that Steph’s exercises helped me get back to dancing. What we worked on together also built the foundations for me going to the gym and working out what I can and can’t manage.

I loved that Steph was able to offer emotional support too. I could tell her about how I struggled to accept that I didn’t have the energy to do what my peers were doing and that I was restricted in movement and strength. Steph listened and then offered solutions: which movements work for strength, mobility and flexibility and also how to create and build the right workout going forward. This has really helped give me confidence to move.

I’m still on treatment to ensure the tumour doesn’t grow and the cancer doesn’t come back. I’ll be on it for the next two years. I take meds every day and visit the hospital once a month. The future is looking good and I’m able to go to school more. My aim is to catch up on lessons as soon as I can. I’ve always been an optimistic person and I have good support around me – family, friends and the church community. My faith helps me deal with all of this and everyone in the church has rallied round.

I would completely recommend MOVE’s programme. For any other young person going through something similar I’d say definitely get in touch! It’s helped with my movement, strength, flexibility and confidence. When you’re moving you get a feeling of wow! We need to move and it makes us feel good. Even a 10 minute walk is worth doing – you get the endorphins hit. The treatment you receive is good and important, of course, but it doesn’t make you feel good. Movement does! Every time I move I feel great and I feel proud of myself. MOVE Against Cancer has helped get me to that point.

When you’re undergoing treatment you appreciate the small things in life so much more. Take your time. Appreciate small moments. And move!