A letter from Koral Veeder (15), Israel 2011:

 “My name is Koral, and I am fifteen years old. About four years ago, I began to feel pain in my right thigh, which was diagnosed as cancer. It wasn’t easy to accept that I have cancer, and in a moment my life changed. School stopped, and there was only the hospital, which was all I saw for a year.

 It was very hard for me to know that one of the options was to amputate the leg. The thought of living without a leg was initially incomprehensible, but after many discussions I understood that that might be the best option that would ensure that the disease will not return. I struggled with the decision for a long time, but when the date for the surgery was set, I accepted that fact completely and fully agreed to go through the procedure.  

I had to get used to the crutches, to go through grueling physical therapy, but the hardest thing I had to face was the way people stared at me everywhere I went. I learned to live with that, too, and to ignore the sideways glances.

The volunteers of Larger Than Life did everything they could to help me not only to recover from this disease but to do that with fun and a smile. I think it is very important that kids in my situation have fun, because when you are happy and having a good time you forget the pain and the nausea and, most important, forget the scary thoughts that fill your mind.

I took part in many activities, including the unforgettable trip to Disney World. That’s not just a trip, it’s a dream come true for cancer-stricken kids. I can say that for me this was an amazing experience, which allowed me to be happy and to enjoy life, and to forget the hospitals and chemo and only think about the roller coaster or that night’s dinner, and then return home with renewed strength and determination to fight the disease and fully recover.”