CHAT SESSION 24 with Kai
Topic- ‘TREASURED MOTHER’
Monday 9th October 2023 1pm https://rppfm.com.au
Catch up and listen to our chat session https://megaphone.link/LCRUI9443867804
Losing someone significant and close to you is a hard reality people face in life. But losing a parent, that special person in your life, is unfathomable.
Kai is a young man who was faced with this harsh reality when he lost his ‘Treasured Mother ‘at the age of nineteen to stage four terminal cancer. Turning his whole world upside down, at such an important time in his life when he was establishing himself in the workforce without the support person whom he adored, was difficult and heart wrenching. In 2013, Kai and his family first experienced dealing with someone who had cancer. It was at this time when his mother Kim noticed a lump on her breast. Soon after this discovery, Kim was diagnosed with breast cancer and was immediately treated with chemotherapy and radiation treatment.
Kai was only fifteen years old when his mum was diagnosed. For Kai it was a lot to cope with. But being young and very optimistic, he always told himself that his brave mother would overcome her diagnosis of breast cancer, especially because he was by her side.
As a way of supporting Kim, the local football club that Kai was affiliated with organised a fundraiser and Go Fund me page. The proceeds helped Kim to receive the treatment she needed. It was at this time, and to Kim’s surprise, that her sons Kai and Bayley and some of their friends decided to shave their hair off to show their support and to raise awareness for Breast Cancer research. After numerous treatments and a mastectomy to remove one breast (unilateral mastectomy) Kim was cancer free. This was in mid 2014. Unfortunately for the family this would not be the last time that Kim had to deal with this horrible disease.
Fast forward three years and Kim was starting to get headaches. She had more scans and a further diagnosis revealed that the cancer had resurfaced. It was secondary cancer and was eminent in all parts of her body including her brain. The family were told that Kim had stage four cancer. It was terminal and she only had 8-12 months to live. When Kai received this news, he didn’t want to believe it. He could not accept that the most significant person in his life was soon going to be taken away from him and his family. Each day after the diagnosis Kai would witness the effects the cancer was having on his beloved mother. The disease was slowly taking hold and his mum was withering away. It was as though the awful disease was taking the life out of her.
Kai continued to manage the best way he could by trying to understand what he was witnessing with his mother’s sickness, along with working full time as an apprentice electrician. Whilst life was challenging for Kai, playing football was an outlet. During these times, Kai always remained positive, with an optimistic outlook, no matter the outcome. Unfortunately, on November 16th, 2017, Kai received a phone call early in the morning that no one wants to answer! He rushed to the hospital to sit by his mother’s side with his brother Bayley and together they sat with their mum in her final moments of life. Although it was one of hardest realisations that Kai had to face, he was also relieved knowing that his mother was no longer in pain. The hardest part for Kai was knowing that he had to live life without his ‘Treasured Mother,’ the special person he loved so much.
Trying to move on and find himself, whilst dealing with the grief he was going through, life was very difficult. For a young man like Kai, it felt like an emotional roller coaster with so many ups and downs. Thankfully Kai’s positive attitude along with the support network around him helped guide him through one of the toughest times in his life. Everything that he has been confronted with has shaped him into the person he is today. It has not been a smooth journey for Kai to get where he is today but with time, he began to heal. He will always be left with scars, but the scars are a reminder to keep going with the beautiful memories of his ‘Treasured Mother’ always close at heart. He reminds himself that each new day will be okay, and it will work out. Kai is now a twenty-five-year-old working as a Linesman with an A-grade qualification behind him. He is enjoying life and in 2021 became a homeowner. He continues to live life to the fullest, making his mother proud. With a support network around him, Kai continues to grow and mature as a young man in an adult world, aiming to be the best version of himself. Kai’s loved ones are also super proud of him.
Kai prides himself on his honesty and positive outlook on life. He wants to continue to be open minded and optimistic on his life’s journey. The adversity and changes may come his way, but the experience of losing his ‘Treasured Mother’ has given him a better appreciation for life because you just never know when your time may be up.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness month.
BREAST CANCER NETWORK AUSTRALIA INFORMATION & SUPPORT
My hope is that when you’re looking at yourself in the
‘The Daily Mirror’
YOU SMILE
EMBRACE BEING YOU
AND FIND 10 MINUTES IN YOUR DAY TO NOURISH YOUR SOUL!
To get in touch with Cathy email smileinthedailymirror@gmail.com
'The Daily Mirror' acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the Traditional Custodians of the land and acknowledges and pays respect to their Elders, past and present.
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