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My brother had cancer

	Beth Johnson was just five years old when her 12 year old brother Tristan died from leukaemia.

I was just starting school that September when my brother died and it was like everything just went to the back of my mind and a curtain was drawn. I had big learning difficulties when I first started.

I wasn’t at nursery much, I was more in the hospital, with my parents, visiting my brother. So it was more the staff at the hospital doing things for me and my family, than a teacher at nursery or school. There was this one nurse who was really nice who spent a lot of time with me. I remember she actually got me to colour in a picture and bring it to my brother’s bed and put it next to him.


	'Even though I was very young, the pictures helped me to show how I felt.'

Although my mum and dad tried to tell me lots about cancer before my brother died, I’ve found out more about cancer and the issues over the years since my brother’s death from books, the internet, and especially through talking to people affected by cancer and going to cancer conferences with my parents. I remember one year I went to a children’s cancer conference and that was great!

Ever since he died, my whole family’s been into voluntary work with groups like Macmillan and Cancer Voices, and it’s got me into a lot of things. I helped Macmillan at the teenage cancer conference, and went to the national conference of cancer self help and support groups. It’s nice to meet other people, especially young people, who are affected by cancer. I’ve even been involved in running a workshop, where young people can go for advice and support regarding cancer.

My advice to family members, particularly siblings, of someone affected with cancer is to ask for information, otherwise you may feel excluded. It’s good to go out with your friends and then go back to your family, you’ve got that bit of time out when you’re with people your own age. But try to be around your family as much as possible.

Also don’t be afraid to show your emotions, if you want to express them, do, you shouldn’t hold them back.