In March 2020, my dad was diagnosed with two distinct types of cancer. I was seventeen, in my final year of high school, and just a week later the world went into its first lockdown. Around the same time, my beloved Aunty Phi was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. While my dad is now thankfully in remission, we lost my aunt later that year while the borders were still closed, leaving us unable to travel to say our goodbyes.
Seventeen is already a fragile, formative age, with the pressures of school, growing independence, and an uncertain future. When cancer came crashing into my world, the weight of it all felt almost unbearable. That’s why Canteen is so special. It exists precisely for young people like me, who need somewhere to turn when life feels impossible. I can still remember my first connection with Canteen, it felt like taking a breath I didn’t even realise I had been holding. I wasn’t alone. I wasn’t crazy. They understood.
With Canteen’s support, I finished high school and moved to Canberra to begin my Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and Bachelor of Politics, Philosophy and Economics at the ANU. By 2023, I was ready to give back to the organisation that had supported me through such a crucial time. Joining the ACT local leadership team not only allowed me to contribute but gave me important life skills and introduced me to one of my closest friends. I continued my leadership journey as a Peer Mentor and later as Co-Chair of the Youth Advisory Team.
Now, as I join Canteen’s Board in my final semester of university and on the cusp of another life transition, I can say with certainty that the version of me who first turned to Canteen could never have imagined this moment. I am deeply grateful for the role Canteen has played in shaping the person I have become and am proud to now pay it forward for the next young person who finds themselves in my shoes.
