Chris' page

Hi

My name is Chris, I am 18. I was diagnosed with a medulablastoma at the age of 10 in July 2001.  My treatment so far has include nine operations, 31 days of radiotherapy and 6 out of 8 rounds of chemotherapy. I don't think that I would have got through the treatment without my friends and family being around me. I had to finish chemotherapy early in August 2002 because my blood levels were not recovering quickly enough and my kidneys were beginning to fail. I was given the all clear in August 2007.

I am now dealing with the late effects of being diagnosed with a brain tumour and my treatment, including a slight right-sided weakness. I forget information and find it difficult to process information - this makes my speech very slow and deliberate. Last year I was diagnosed with cataracts in both my eyes but these will be operated on in time. I also am on hormone replacement therapy which will continue for the rest of my life, but after being given only 4 weeks to live I have survived.

I have done a BTEC diploma in ICT and I am now doing a BTEC diploma in Media. After I have finished this I want to get a full-time job. I am finding it very difficult to even get a part-time job at the moment. 

The reason why I want to be a web champion is because I like computers and I wanted to develop the skills I had learnt during my ICT course.  I also thought it was a good way for young people who have been diagnosed with cancer to get information.

I have a wide range of hobbies including listening to music and playing on and using the computer. I also have an interest in classic and modern cars and I have a large collection of Land Rovers. My interest in Land Rovers started while I was in hospital recovering from my first operation, when my Grandad arranged for me to visit the Land Rover factory at Solihull with my dad.

While I have been ill I have been given the chance to enjoy many activities that I would not have done if I was well. These have included meeting lots of famous people such as Eddie Jordan, Gary Lineker, Dennis Waterman and Rory Bremner at a golf day; Prince William when we were invited to Brize Norton Air Force Base and had the opportunity to go up and refuel other aircraft while they were flying, and the Queen when she opened the new children's hospital in Oxford last year. I have been to a race day at Silverstone and ridden round the track in a safety car, and I have also been up in a light aircraft.