"Simply by looking after my daughter, the Trust lightened my load.”
Michele knew her daughter, Fran, was smiling through her insecurities. On the inside, she felt self-conscious and isolated, showing up for the first day of the new school year with no hair and a bloated face.
Fran’s sister felt the consequences too.
“Experiencing cancer at such a formative age was extremely difficult for Fran,” said her mum. “She observed everything while at the same time dealing with her own challenges.”
"The Trust helped restore Fran’s sense of her own worth, pride and self-esteem."
Michele saw the benefits of her daughter being supported during her recovery. Fran was persuaded to go on the trip by her mum, and when she returned home, her smile was beaming.
“Except for the Trust, we didn’t receive much help after treatment.
"But through acknowledging my daughter’s difficulties, without pandering to or analysing them, the Trust helped restore Fran’s sense of her own worth, pride and self-esteem.”
“I saw her develop a strong positive resilience. Simply by looking after my daughter, the Trust lightened my load.”
"It’s really difficult to convey what the Trust does, but I want to bottle it and have a sniff every now and again."
Recovery doesn’t happen overnight, and Michele still regularly reassures Fran of what she is able to do, something which coming on Trust trips helps her with.
“By being there for Fran, the Trust has made an unbelievable situation a much better memory. It makes her feel important, has introduced hope and possibility and still colours life today 12 years after her first experience.
“It’s really difficult to convey what the Trust does, but I want to bottle it and have a sniff every now and again.”
If you, or someone you know, could benefit from Trust support, or you want to make a difference to young lives after cancer, here's how you can...
