Josh's Story

When Josh was 18 months old his mum noticed his glands were swollen. She took Josh to see a doctor and they noticed his liver was also slightly enlarged.

Josh’s mother was told his symptoms could be harmless but was advised to see a paediatrician if she wanted to. Josh’s parents made the life-altering decision to investigate further and the blur of ultrasounds and tests that followed awakened their nightmare.

Just a toddler, Josh was diagnosed with liver cancer. Scans revealed the tumour to be severe, but it didn’t appear to have spread to any of his other organs. The doctors were hopeful that surgery and chemotherapy could save his life, but Josh’s parents and siblings were forced to reckon with the possibility of his death.

Gruelling months of treatment kept Josh alive but left him frail. A third of his liver was removed. He was declared in remission 6 months after his diagnosis, but the potent medicine that destroyed the cancer also strained his body.

From toddler to teenager, Josh’s adolescence was defined by ‘otherness’, saying “I felt like I was from outer space.” The chemotherapy had damaged his immune system leaving him vulnerable to illness. His constant sickness stopped him from attending school which resulted in conflict arising with the authorities.

“I was absent on sick leave so often that the Department of Education was threatening to punish my parents. It was appalling and distressing. The powers that be couldn’t handle that I was different. When I was diagnosed with cancer my family was reeling that I was about to experience a world of hurt and chronic illness. I needed a support network, something to rely on while the rest of my world was in turmoil. I’d been pushed so far down by cancer that I needed the shoulders of a giant to stand on if I ever wanted to level the playing field.” - Josh

And that’s where Canteen came in. Josh made friends through Canteen’s youth leadership program that he still connects with today. Canteen provided Josh with the strength and support to share his cancer story with his peers, which turned into opportunities to speak on the news and reach out to other young people. Josh said, “Canteen supported my family and me in some of our darkest moments, and the time I’ve spent in leadership has offered a foundation of skills and experiences that I draw from every day.”

Josh’s Canteen journey

How Canteen’s Education and Career Support Service helped Josh

Josh missed out on a lot of school due to cancer-related chronic illness, so decided to access career counselling through Canteen’s Education and Career Support Service (ECS.) ECS helps young cancer patients aged 15-25 stay connected to study or work both during and after their cancer treatment.

“The career counsellor was able to help me address any anxieties I had regarding the workplace and assisted me with questions around setting up my resume and writing a cover letter. I knew that I could always just give him a call whenever I felt unsure, and he could provide me with support and advice.’ - Josh

Last year, ECS supported 146 young cancer patients across Australia. ECS is a strength-based service that assists young cancer patients, like Josh, to identify their vocational goals and values, followed by individualised support plans to help them achieve their education or career milestones.

 “It meant the world to know that finally there’s someone I can talk to about my career, who understands the unique situation of a young person impacted by cancer, and who genuinely wants to help. Without Canteen, I wouldn’t have the courage or experience to have gone straight from high school into full-time work as a creative. I have listed something Canteen-related on every resume I’ve ever sent.” - Josh

Josh’s message to you

“Canteen‘s ECS program has allowed me to develop the skills that enable me to contribute to the workforce just like everyone else. My cancer experience has left me with empathy, mindfulness, and the ability to smile through it when times get tough, and thanks to ECS, I’ll be able to demonstrate those skills at a job that I love. Every donation to Canteen is priceless to the young people who you’re supporting and I couldn’t thank you enough for your support.”