Ali - 17 years old

It is sad and living with the uncertainty is painful, but you still have people that love and care for you.

When I was 6, my mum had stage 3 breast cancer. She underwent chemotherapy and got better 3 years later. Last month, she was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer, as it had spread to her liver, lungs and spine. When I first found out, I was shocked, swinging from crying to feeling extremely positive and normal about it. When I think about the future, I feel upset and almost grief as to what my life will be like without my mum.

My experience at the moment is to stay distracted with the people you love- and don't google it, the searches are always the worst outcome and are not necessarily related to your parents type of cancer. I try and focus on my A-levels and getting into university- because my mum is still here and we can't let her illness grind life to a halt.

My advice is to build up a network of support- let your college/school know about what is happening and maybe ask for counselling. I would also recommend telling your friends that if you're feeling down-it's often easier for them to act normally around you, because it can feel as if you're expecting them to carry your pain. This isn't the case as my friends have said, but having one or two people you can utterly trust and give regular updates on is useful. I have been feeling lonely and overwhelmed with work but I'm focusing on taking each day at a time and getting through the next assessment or deadline for coursework. It is sad and living with the uncertainty is painful, but you still have people that love and care for you.

Page updated 6 December 2016