Surviving leukaemia: the fight continues after treatment

Today, June 7, is Cancer Survivors Day. Survival is something worth celebrating and I am grateful every day to be here. But there is another side that is not spoken about enough: the lasting impact cancer leaves behind.

I was diagnosed with leukaemia as a child. Like many young cancer patients, my life suddenly became focused on hospital visits, treatment and recovery.

While other children were spending their days in classrooms, making friends and building memories, I was fighting a battle that no child should have to face.

Thankfully, I survived.

But surviving leukaemia was not the end of my journey. One of the biggest challenges came when I returned to school. Because I had missed so much education during treatment, I found myself struggling to keep up with my classmates.

I was constantly trying to catch up academically, socially and emotionally. Many people around me could not understand what I had been through or why I was struggling. Instead of support, there were times when I experienced bullying because I was different and because I found it difficult to keep pace with others.

What started in childhood followed me into high school, affecting my confidence and my sense of belonging.

The hardest part was not only being behind. It was the feeling of being behind. While my classmates were moving forward, I felt as though I was always trying to close a gap that had been created by circumstances beyond my control.

What many people do not realise is that childhood cancer can affect much more than physical health. It can interrupt education, social development, confidence and mental well-being. The impact can remain long after treatment has ended.

For me, another lasting challenge has been the effects often referred to as ‘chemo brain’. Difficulties with concentration, memory, processing information and confidence have followed me into adulthood. These effects are often invisible, which makes them difficult to explain to people who have never experienced them.

Now that I have entered the world of work, I still face challenges that stem from those experiences. I often feel anxious and nervous. I worry about making mistakes. Sometimes, I question myself more than I should. Tasks that seem simple to others can feel overwhelming because I am constantly trying to make sure I have understood everything correctly.

Life does not follow the same timeline for everyone- Ruslana Camilleri

This is why I believe there needs to be more awareness about life after cancer.

When people hear the word ‘survivor’ they often imagine that the battle is over. In reality, for many survivors, the fight simply changes. Instead of chemotherapy and hospital appointments, the challenges become anxiety, self-doubt, educational gaps, long-term side effects and the ongoing effort to rebuild confidence.

Despite everything, I am proud of how far I have come.

Today, I am studying to become a sports journalist, a path that I am incredibly excited about. For many people, this might seem like an ordinary step in life. For me, it represents something much bigger. It represents perseverance.

There were times when I wondered if I would ever catch up. There were times when I compared myself to others and felt that I was arriving later than everyone else. Sometimes those thoughts still cross my mind.

But cancer taught me something important: life does not follow the same timeline for everyone.

My journey has been different. It has been longer, more difficult and filled with challenges that many people never see. Yet, every step forward is a reminder of how much has been overcome.

Leukaemia changed my life, but it did not take away my dreams.

On Cancer Survivors Day, I want people to understand that survivorship is about more than surviving a disease. It is about living with the lasting effects that cancer can leave behind. It is about recognising the invisible struggles many survivors face every day. And it is about ensuring that those experiences are acknowledged, understood and supported.

I am proud to be a leukaemia survivor. I am proud of the obstacles I have overcome. And I am proud to be building a future that once felt uncertain.

My story did not end when treatment finished. In many ways, that was only the beginning.