“Over here Sam, pass!” yelled Steven Potts. Sam dribbled forward, his eye on Steven, when Wham! someone slammed into him and he fell down hard onto the ground. Pain shot up his left leg.

Mr Fielding came running over. “Are you all right, Sam? Let’s get you up.”

The other kids crowded round. “You OK, Sam?” called out Steven.

“Just going on the subs bench,” said Sam. But he was worried; his leg had hurt for a while.

The Head decided Sam had to go to casualty. “But Sir…” protested Sam.

“Do what the Manager says, Sam,” grinned Mr Fielding, and that was that. They went in Mr Fielding’s car. Sam found it difficult to rest his foot on the floor.

When they arrived at the hospital Dad was there with his briefcase. He looked worried. “How’s the next England striker?”

“Off to x-ray I should think,” said Mr Fielding. “See you later, Sam.” “Where’s Mum?” asked Sam.“She’ll be here soon Sammo, don’t worry,” smiled Dad.

Don’t worry Sam,

you’ll be OK

but i don’t want

to go...

go with mr fielding

and get that leg checked out... i’ll

call your parents

hey sammo. I got a call from school...

dad!

� �

Just as Sam had finished reading the comic and was feeling very bored, two doctors came out. They called Dad over to look at the x-ray and Sam could see that Dad looked worried again. Then all the adults came over. They looked quite serious. One of the doctors said, “Your leg isn’t broken, Sam, but we are going to bring you into hospital to do some more tests. Dad can go home and get your pyjamas and toothbrush.”

“How long will I have to stay here?” asked Sam anxiously.

“A few days,” said the doctor. “We need to find out more about what is happening inside your leg.”

Sam didn’t say anything. It was already Monday. He’d never make it to the match now. Mr Fielding would pick Steven 'Nutter' Potts instead!

It was a long way to the Children’s Ward, down grey corridors and up eight floors in the lift. They passed some people who looked quite ill and there was a funny smell. Sam was feeling quite scared. When they got to the ward the door was locked. “It’s for security,” said Dad. “To keep the children safe.” A nurse opened the door for them with a swipe card.

Inside was a room with three children sitting at a table. One of them was completely bald and Sam was very shocked.

There was hardly time to think before Dad was saying, “Just going off to get your stuff, Sammo. Can’t sleep in your football kit, can you?”

For the first time Sam felt like bursting into tears.

Then Mum appeared and, giving Sam a big hug, said, “Everything’s going to be fine Sam darling.”

why doesn’t anyone talk to me? it’s my

leg!

� �

It was Wednesday morning, Sam’s first day of chemotherapy, and he was feeling very worried.

Kwesi arrived with the breakfast trolley.

He was an out-of-work actor and Sarah said he had been in Eastenders.

“Cool,” said Sam.

Everyone liked Kwesi. He pretended he cooked all the food himself.

“Come on Sam, man! Have another piece of toast. I’ve been slaving over a hot stove all morning,” laughed Kwesi.

After breakfast Mum and Sam went with Krissy to the treatment room to meet Dr Peters.

Each day when Sam had finished chemotherapy he joined Sarah in the hospital school. Their teacher’s name was David. “Hello Sam, come and sit with Sarah and Ali, we are doing the Romans,” said David. Ali was only eight and he talked non-stop about missing his computer. “I just got my new games and then I had to come back in. If we lived nearer I could just go home this afternoon,” moaned Ali. “Now my little brother will muck about with everything.” Ali said he was too tired to write anything and David gave him a picture to colour.

David started to tell them how the Romans built their forts but Sam found it hard to listen. The chemo made him feel sick and his head felt dizzy. Ali and Sarah were looking sleepy also. Sam just wanted to go back to bed.

hello sam, i’ve sorted out your

medicine for chemo. i’ll be keeping an eye on you while you have your

treatment

Dr Peters is an oncologist. An oncologist is a

special doctor who treats cancer

Ali’s been coming

here for two years, haven’t you sunshine?

I’ve got leukaemia. I’m having chemo

in my back tomorrow

and I won’t be allowed to eat any breakfast...

again!

Well at least you’ve

got your hair! Look at my wispy baby

hair!

I’m surrendering to the Romans

It’s the wrong colour, stupid, White means

surrender!

�0 �1

At the end of the week Sam went home for the weekend. But he was back on Peppermint Ward on Monday morning and went to look for Sarah in the schoolroom.

“Where’s Ali?” asked Sam. Sarah was doing some Maths. She was a whizz at numbers. David was helping a big boy on the computer.

“Ali’s gone home. He’s had his lumbar puncture,” said Sarah.

“Yuck!” said Sam. “Poor old Ali.”

“Yes, but Jessie would have blown loads of bubbles!” said Sarah, copying out her sums very neatly.

“What do you think the Romans did when they were wounded in battle?” asked Sam.

“Scream really, really loudly,” grinned Sarah.

“Wicked!” laughed Sam.

A few days later Ali came back to Peppermint Ward and Sam heard him crying in the night. The next day Krissy took Ali to the treatment room and Sam could hear her saying, “You’ve got an infection, pet. I’m going to give you some medicine to make you feel better.”

Sam drew Ali a picture of a football match to colour in. Ali slept a lot for the next few days. Then one day Sam and Sarah went into the playroom to find Ali lying on a bean bag looking very miserable. Jessie was trying to cheer him up.

“I’m fed up with hospital. I’ve been in here 20 times!” moaned Ali.

“I wonder who’s been in the most?” said Jessie.

“Me,” said Sam with a grin. “I’ve been in a million times!” “Don’t be daft,” said Sarah. “I’ve been in and out the most.”“No you haven’t, I’ve been coming for years!” said Ali looking more cheerful.

“Hooray, the winner,” said Jessie and she gave them all a glittery sticker saying, ‘What a star!’

A lumbar puncture is when a little bit of fluid is taken out of your

back and a tiny bit of chemo is put in. Lumbar

punctures are given for all sorts of reasons and

not always for chemotherapy

my friends are

tired and sick all the time...

�� ��

A week later Sam woke up on Peppermint Ward to find some of his hair had fallen out and was lying all over the pillow. It was a really big shock. Jessie had told him this would happen. But Sam had hoped she was wrong.

“Don’t worry, Sammo,” said Dad. “You can just shave it all off if you want.” But Sam wasn’t sure. He went into the bathroom and looked in the mirror. His hair looked all patchy and stupid. He picked up his toothpaste tube and squiggled on the mirror, ‘Sam hates chemo’

Two big boys came in. Neither of them had any hair. They grinned at Sam’s graffiti and one of the boys said, “Too right Sam. We all look like eggs in an egg box!”

Sam was in the playroom with Sarah and Ali, making rocket ships, when Jessie said, “Oh Ali. Do you remember Cameron?” Ali nodded.

“He is back on the ward but he has to stay in a very special room all by himself.”

“Can we talk to him?” asked Sarah.

“Yes, of course,” said Jessie.

They all went along to the isolation room and looked through the window. Cameron was lying under the covers looking like a little mouse. Sam felt sorry for him.

“You can talk to him with this Walkie Talkie,” said Jessie.

“Earth to Cameron, Earth to Cameron,” said Ali. Everyone laughed.

Cameron poked his head out from under the covers and stared at them. Then he gave a little smile and picked up his handset. “Cameron to Earth. Hello Ali.”

Sarah took the Walkie Talkie. “Hi, I’m Sarah. Do you like the Sugababes?”

Cameron shook his head.

“What about football?” called out Sam.

“Yes,” said Cameron in a little voice.

oh no!

It’s not funny!

I don’t want to lose my hair!

Nobody wants to lose

their hair Sam. But it grows back,

trust me

�� ��

Jessie took back the Walkie Talkie.

“How are you feeling today, Cameron?” she asked.

“Really sick and too tired to get up,” said Cameron in a little voice.

“Poor old you,” said Jessie. “It was that really special chemo. It makes you feel rotten.”

Cameron slid back under the covers and they all went back into the playroom.

“Why can’t Cameron come with us?,” scowled Ali. “He’s nearly my age and we could swap Yu-Gi-Oh! cards. The big kids always cheat!” Sarah and Sam exchanged grins.

Over the next few weeks Sam came in and out of Peppermint Ward for his chemotherapy. In between, he sometimes went back to his Primary School, but he soon got very tired and only stayed for half a day. If anyone laughed at his bald head, Steven Potts and James would chase them off.

Sarah’s treatment had finished and she had gone home, but Ali was in the playroom when Sam was starting his next session of chemotherapy. “Hi Sam,” said Ali. “Cameron’s back again. Shall we go and see him?”

Sam and Ali went and looked through the window. Cameron was asleep and Sam suddenly felt very worried. Jessie came up and said, “How nice of you all to visit Cameron, he’s very tired today.”

“Jessie,” said Sam in a small voice, “is Cameron going to die?”

Everyone looked very serious. “That’s a worry isn’t it?” said Jessie. “But it’s something we sometimes have to think about and face up to. Not for all of you though. You are getting through your treatment and coping well.” They all nodded. “And I know that Cameron finds your friendship a big help.” Jessie gave them all a warm smile.

Then they went into the playroom and settled down on the bean bags while Jessie read them a story about pirates on a mysterious tropical island. “I’d like to sail away,” thought Sam. “I’m fed up with hospital.”

Cameron has had new bone marrow cells

put into his body so that he can grow lots of

new cells. While he is having this treatment he has to stay in a room on his

own so that he doesn’t get any

infections

�� ��

“I’m going back to school next week,” said Sam. “Can’t wait to see all my friends again. It’s been such a long year.”

“You’ve been a real star,” said Krissy. “Don’t forget all your appointments in Outpatients. Mum and Dad will bring you and perhaps we’ll see you too.”

“When do you think Sam will need his next operation?” asked Mum. “That depends how quickly he grows,” said Krissy. “The doctors will be keeping an eye on him and you can keep a chart at home Sam.”

“Dad started one when I was two,” said Sam with a nod. “I can nearly reach the top shelves.”

As Sam walked down Peppermint Ward for the last time with Mum, he saw Kwesi serving lunch. “Take care Sam man! Look after that little dog of yours!” called out Kwesi.

Dr Karmi and Dr Woods waved to him from the treatment room.

Sam knew he would see them again, but right now all he wanted was to take Mumbles for a great big run in the park!

Sarah has decided that she is going to be a doctor when she grows up and find a cure for cancer.

Sam is in Year 7 now and

Dad has bought them

both a season ticket for

Arsenal.

Cameron and Ali still meet up on Peppermint Ward and swap Yu‑Gi‑Oh cards.

Five months later, just as the Autumn Term was starting, Sam’s hair began to grow back as he had finished all his chemotherapy. Sarah, Ali and Cameron had finished their treatments and he hadn’t seen them for a long time. “But we’ll invite you all back for the Christmas party,” said Jessie when she came to say goodbye.

�0