Children with siblings suffering serious illnesses often end up spending their childhood struggling to maintain a sense of normality, an issue that is often overlooked, according to cancer survivor Ramiro Mallia.

The 15-year-old was diagnosed with cancer at the age of two-and-a-half and while he commended all the work by charities that help the patients, Ramiro insisted that in most cases their siblings, especially when they are still very young, suffer too and yet are rarely offered support.

“While I was receiving my treatment, my brothers, one older and one younger, were always alone. They were with family but not with my mother and father, and that’s never easy,” the teen told the Times of Malta.

He was speaking to this newspaper ahead of a charity walk he organised yesterday morning, which ended with him diving into the sea. For the second year running, the teen purposely chose his birthday to organise the event, adding that seeing such a turnout was the best present he could have been given this year.

During the event, a group of some 50 people, mostly teenagers, raised €640 in a charity walk to collect funds for the Karl Vella Foundation. The shy teen admitted that while he was uncomfortable with all the attention his initiative had received, especially after finding out the President would also be attending the event, he felt the issue needed to be addressed to highlight struggles of children who go through such experiences.

While I was receiving my treatment, my brothers, one older and one younger, were always alone

He also insisted that he did not want the event to be about him and his efforts, and while humbled by all the support, he just wanted to raise awareness.

“The foundation helps children with what many consider to be little things such as homework. They also try to cheer them up.

“I remember what my brothers went through when I was ill, and that is why I wanted to do something to help,” Ramiro went on.

As his four-year-old brother has also been receiving treatment in the past year, the teen said he also knew first-hand how much the whole family struggled to maintain a sense of normality in their day-to-day lives.

The foundation was purposely set up to help those children affected by disruptions in their families caused when a family member is seriously ill and provides educational and psychological assistance to them.

“Psychologically, children with siblings who are ill go through an ordeal. They need all the help and support they can get and that’s why the work by this foundation is so important,” said Ramiro’s mother, Marylis Mallia.