When I was nine years old, my dad was diagnosed with bladder cancer.

Just six months later, shortly after my 10th birthday, he passed away. Before Dad’s diagnosis, Mum, Dad, my two older brothers, and I went on a family holiday to New Zealand. Looking back on that holiday, that was the last time life felt normal for a long while

Being so young and losing my dad, was like having a dark cloud that hung over me. The best way to describe it was that I felt like I lost my childhood to cancer.

When Dad was diagnosed, Mum noticed how much I was struggling to cope. I felt I didn’t have anyone to talk to who understood me or what my family was going through. My friends and other kids at school didn’t understand what it was like to have a sick parent and then to lose them.

Then a staff member at the hospital told Mum about Canteen, and that’s when I realised, I wouldn’t have to face this alone

I joined Canteen when I was 12, and I’m now 20. Over the years, I’ve had so many incredible experiences. The first event I attended was a family day at the RAAF base in Amberley QLD. My brother and I got to go onto the flight deck of one of the planes. It was a day my family and I could spend time together and I felt like a kid again.

That day also sparked my interest in aviation, and I’ve studied at Aviation Australia with the goal of becoming an aircraft maintenance engineer.

Another standout experience was attending the Good Grief program when I was 13. It was my first time travelling on my own, all the way to the Blue Mountains. That program changed how I understood and managed my grief. For the first time, I met other young people like me, who had also lost a parent and I realised I wasn’t alone. The friends I made six years ago on that camp are still a part of my life today.

Losing my dad turned my life upside down, and for a long time, I didn’t think I was going to have a normal life again. Canteen has shown me that I could. I now know that I’m never truly alone and that there is always support from people who understand.

Because of you, I’ve made lifelong friends at camps and recreational days, developed leadership skills, and found people who truly listen, such as my key worker. Most importantly, I no longer feel alone.

Thank you