Autumn 2014 l Issue 9

Your views l Your news

ShoutOut!

This issue: You and

your family

Spooky

Halloween activities to

give you the creeps

David WalliamsOn best-selling books and annoying Simon Cowell – plus WIN a signed copy of his new book!

Win

Ask the expert

Your shout!Check out your

amazing pictures, poems and stories

Laugh your socks off

Your questions about cancer and family life answered

fun!

Our pick of your

funniest jokes

Welcome to the autumn issue of Shout Out!, the

magazine for 7 to 13-year-olds who have or have had

cancer, that’s written with your help.

Having cancer can mean lots of changes for you and your family.

In this issue, CLIC Sargent Social Worker, Lesley, answers some of

your questions about talking to your parents about your feelings,

and getting on with your brothers and sisters. Check out p6 for

her tips. And on p13, Evie tells us how cancer has affected her

family life.

Shout Out! is your magazine, so we want to know what you love

about it and what we could do better. Fill in our survey on p9

to help us make Shout Out! even more awesome. What’s more,

five lucky readers will win a signed copy of David Walliams’ new

book, Awful Auntie – don’t miss our interview with David on p5.

Halloween is one of our favourite times of the year, so we’ve got

loads of spooky fun for you in this issue. Check out p3 for our

creepy Halloween facts, and if you’ve got 10 minutes to spare,

why not draw a beastly bat or write your own Halloween poem

on p8. There’s a £10 Amazon voucher up for grabs!

Enjoy the issue!

Alisha

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Thanks guys!A huge thank you to everyone who sent in pictures, photos, stories and jokes – you’ll find lots of our favourites in this issue. We love looking at all your masterpieces, so please keep them coming. Turn to p14 to find out how to send them in.

Going for goldSeen anyone wearing a gold ribbon lately? September was Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and thousands of people across the UK wore

gold ribbons to show their support, as well as collecting money and holding glittering gold fundraising events to raise money for CLIC Sargent. We love this picture of Abbie, who wore her

gold ribbon to school.

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know?Did you

A group of bats is

called a cauldron

Spiders can be found on

every single continent

except Antarctica

The biggest pumpkin ever grown weighed

911kg (2008lb) – that’s as heavy as a small car!

In olden times, people used to give trick-or-treaters fruit or nuts instead of sweets – spoilsports!

Snakes smell with their tongues

Try this at home!Grab a pumpkin and challenge your friend, brother or sister to a game of pumpkin penny toss…

c You’ll need a hollowed out pumpkin, or if that’s too messy, a pumpkin shaped trick or treat bucket

c Stand a few steps away from the pumpkin, and take it in turns to throw your coins into it. Who can get the most in?

c Too easy? Keep taking a step back each time and see how good your aim is!

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What’s on?Check out these fab films,

showing at a cinema near you!

The Book of Life, UManolo is a young man who has to choose between doing what his family wants and following his heart – but first, he sets out on an incredible adventure that takes him through three fantasy lands and forces him to face his greatest fears.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, 12AShredder and his evil cronies are trying to take over New York City, but the pizza-loving, sewer-dwelling Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are determined to stop them in their tracks. Will they foil Shredder’s wicked plot?

Dolphin Tale 2, UWinter the dolphin, whose life was saved several years ago, is facing another challenge. She desperately needs a new friend to share her pool, but time is running out. If you’re mad about wildlife, this heart-warming tale, inspired by a real life story, is one to watch.

Tell us about your favourite book, film, game or show and why you liked it. Make sure you write down your full name, date of birth and postcode too, then send your review to us in the Freepost envelope provided. Or you can email it to us at shoutout@clicsargent.org.uk

(Oh, and don’t forget to tell us how many stars out of five you give it!).

Send us your reviews4

Shout!

How do you come up with the characters for your books?Most of the time they come out of my head. Sometimes as a writer you’re very lucky and meet someone who might make a good character. Burt, the villain from Ratburger, was inspired by a contestant on Britain’s Got Talent.

Which was your favourite book to write?I really enjoyed writing my first book, The Boy in the Dress. It was really rewarding to make the characters’ feelings come to life. I never knew I could write something that could make people cry.

What’s the best thing about being a judge on Britain’s Got Talent?Waking up each day and thinking, ‘How can I ruin Simon Cowell’s day today?’ I also love the fact that we judges genuinely have no idea who or what is coming next. It could be the next superstar, or someone absolutely hopeless. I do prefer the hopeless ones, though!

What’s Simon Cowell really like?I love spending time with him. There’s never a dull moment. I love winding him up just as much as he loves winding me up! We’re like two naughty schoolboys when we’re together.

If you could play any character on stage or screen, who would it be?I would love to play the Doctor in Doctor Who. It would be an enormous thrill. I know a few of the actors who have played the part and one wonderful thing about it is that it stays with you forever.

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Interview with The Britain’s Got Talent judge and

best-selling children’s author tells us all about his crazy characters, dream TV role

and annoying Simon Cowell!

David Walliams

Get your hands on a signed copy of

Are you mad about David Walliams’ brilliant books? Then don’t miss your chance to win a SIGNED COPY of his latest book, Awful Auntie. Just fill in our survey to tell us what you think of Shout Out! and you could be one of five lucky readers to win your very own autographed copy of Awful Auntie. Don’t hang about – turn to p9 now!

David’s brand new book!

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Ask theexpertIn this issue, CLIC Sargent Social

Worker, Lesley, answers some questions about how cancer might affect your family life

Q: I’m getting a lot of attention because I have cancer and my little sister feels left out. What would make her feel more included? A: It’s great that you’re thinking of ways to help your

sister. Sometimes brothers and sisters can feel a bit

jealous of the attention you’re getting. Plus it can be

tough if you’re in hospital and mum and dad are with

you, and they have to stay with someone else. Maybe

you could all do something together, like a trip to the

park or a movie evening at home. Or you could do

something with a friend or your grandparents and

suggest that mum, dad and your sister spend some

time together.

Q. I feel angry that I have cancer and I’m taking it out on my family. Why am I doing this? A: It’s horrible being unwell, and

it’s easy to take that out on your

family. But try to remember that

your cancer isn’t anyone’s fault.

Talking about how you feel can

help, so be open with your family

and let them know if you’re feeling

angry, worried or fed up.

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Ask theexpertQ. My big brother is bottling things up and doesn’t want to talk about my cancer. How can I help him open up?A: Your brother might have lots of questions about your cancer, but feel worried about bothering you or your parents. Why not suggest that he writes his thoughts down? You could ask if he would like to talk to somebody from your CLIC Sargent care team, or find out if they can put him in touch with other people his age whose brother or sister has cancer. It’s a good idea to tell your parents that you’re worried, so they can try to help him too.

Evie’s storyFind out how Evie and her family are coping with her cancer diagnosis on p13.

Q. I worry a lot about upsetting my family when I’m not feeling well. What can I do? A: If you’re worried about upsetting your parents,

you might not want to tell them if you’re feeling

unwell, sad or scared. Do try to though - they may

be able to help you. If you prefer, you could talk to

another grown-up you trust instead, or somebody

from your CLIC Sargent care team.

Q. Why have my parents gone back to treating me like a little kid since my cancer diagnosis? A: It’s natural for your parents to want to protect you when you’re unwell. It can be a bit annoying though! If you’re feeling frustrated, remind them that you’re still you. You could suggest some little things you could do for yourself, like making your own breakfast or going to a friend’s house. Chat to somebody from your CLIC Sargent care team - they can help you work out what you can and can’t do so your parents can give you a bit more independence.

Q. When I have a headache, what can I say to my sisters to stop them from being too loud?A: Your sisters might not always understand that you’re feeling tired or unwell. But if you tell them how you feel, you might be surprised by how understanding they are. Of course, they need room to be their noisy selves too sometimes! When you need some peace and quiet, how about spending some time in your room reading a book or listening to music with headphones? Or ask your parents to help your sisters find something quieter to do, like watching a DVD or doing a craft activity.

Katie, 10, from Manchester, asked:

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Halloween poemCan you write a spooktacular acrostic poem? It’s a sort of poem where you write a word going down the page, and then write a line of poetry for each letter in that word. So if the first letter of a word is ‘S,’ you could write, ‘Skeletons are super scary.’

We’ve given you the word ‘Halloween’ here. How petrifying can you make your poem?

HALLOWEEN

Don’t just sit there… Get stuck into our spooky but fun Halloween activities

Fun stuff!

Send us your Halloween acrostic for a chance to win a £10 Amazon voucher. Turn to p14 to find out how to send in your entry.

1.2.

3.

5.

6.

Go bonkers for bats! Draw a beastly bat in just six easy steps! How scary can you make yours?

Scare us silly!Are you dressing up for Halloween? We want to see your creepiest costumes. Email your photos to shoutout@clicsargent.org.uk or send them to us in the Freepost envelope included – don’t forget to include your full name, date of birth and postcode.

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About Shout Out!

Have your say!What do you like about Shout Out! magazine? What could we do better? The Shout Out! team wants to know what you think about your magazine – and what would make it even more awesome.

All you need to do is fill in our survey – it’ll only take about 15 minutes – then cut out the pages and send it back to us in the Freepost envelope provided. Best of all, five lucky readers will get their hands on a SIGNED COPY of David Walliams’ brilliant new book, Awful Auntie. We’ll be picking our winners’ names out of a hat, so watch this space…

Shout Out! survey

Do you like Shout Out! magazine?

Yes, a lotYes, a bitNo, not muchNo, not at all

What are your three favourite sections?

Did you know?What’s on and your reviewsAsk the expertCelebrity interviewGet creative/Fun stuffChild’s story (in this issue, it’s Evie’s story)Your stories and poemsYour galleryYour jokes

Do you find the Ask the expert section helpful?

Yes, a lotYes, a bitNo, not muchNo, not at all

Name and surname:

Date of birth:

Postcode:

Shout Out! and youWe’d like to know if Shout Out! makes a difference to how you feel.

How I felt before I read this issue of Shout Out!

Please circle one face.

How I felt after I read this issue of Shout Out!

Please circle one face.

Have you ever done something after reading about it in Shout Out! magazine? If you have, please tell us what it was:

I followed some advice from the Ask the expert sectionI did something from the Get creative/Fun stuff pageI sent in something (for example, a drawing, story or photo)I did something else:

Please tell us why you do or don’t find the Ask the expert section helpful

Your thoughts and ideas

If there’s something you really like about Shout Out! magazine, or if you think you know how we could make it better, tell us here. All you need to do is finish these sentences in your own words.

What I like about Shout Out! is…

Shout Out! online

Would you read the articles in Shout Out! if we put them on our website?

No, I prefer looking at the magazine

Yes, I would prefer to look at Shout Out! online

I would look at the website but still read the magazine too

Thank you for answering our questions! Please fill in your name, surname, date of birth and postcode at the beginning of the survey, then send it back to us in the Freepost envelope provided.

You could make Shout Out! better by…

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Evie’s storyEvie, eight, from Bracknell, is having treatment for Hodgkin’s lymphoma. She tells us about how family life has changed since she found out she had cancer.

I found out I had Hodgkin’s lymphoma in March. I was feeling weak and tired so my mum took me to the doctor. Two weeks later, I was diagnosed with cancer and started chemotherapy at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London. It made me feel really poorly. I felt quite sad and wished I would get better.

I’ve got a big sister, Ruby, who’s 14, and a little brother called Oliver, who’s four. Oliver doesn’t really understand what cancer is, but he knows I’m not very well and gives me lots of kisses and cuddles. Ruby is sad that I’m poorly and reads me stories when I’m feeling tired. I think we’ve become closer since I’ve had cancer. We still argue sometimes, though, and then we forget all about me being ill!

I used to do lots of sports, like pony riding, cricket and gymnastics, but I’ve had to stop doing them for now. I miss them and can’t wait to get back to them. We couldn’t go on holiday this summer either, because of my treatment. I’ve got to have radiotherapy soon, but if I’m okay, my dad says we might be able to go somewhere for half-term.

My mum and dad worry about me a lot since we found out about my cancer. They have to watch out for my temperature going

up, which might mean I’ve got an infection. I’ve had to go into hospital three times with infections. My mum comes with me – we like making loom bands to pass the time. I don’t always want to talk about how I’m feeling, but I know that if something is worrying me, I can tell my mum and dad.

We’ve got lots of family living nearby. We all get together at each other’s houses and go out for family meals. Sometimes I don’t feel like eating but I like spending time with everyone. My nana is being treated for cancer too, so we can talk about how we’re feeling.

The main thing I was worried about when I found out I had cancer was losing my hair. I decided to have it cut short before it fell out and raised money for a charity that makes wigs out of real hair for children who have cancer. My mum, my uncle and some of my dad’s friends said they would shave their hair off too. I couldn’t believe it when my mum actually did it, but it helped me a lot. Now we can compare whose hair is growing fastest!

Turn to p16 to read Evie’s amazing rap

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Your gallery

You guys are a talented bunch – check out some of the amazing pictures you’ve sent us this issue! Thanks to all our budding artists for showing us your creations.

Mickey MouseAasia, 10, Bradford

Got an amazing drawing or photo to share with us? We’d love to see it!

Send it to us in the Freepost envelope included, not forgetting your full name,

date of birth and postcode, or email it to shoutout@clicsargent.org.uk

FlowerLena May, 11, Newport

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A catRachel, 8, Bristol

Read more about Leah’s school trip

over the page

I went to ParisLeah, 13, Cambourne

Fat Fox, Fat DeerEmilia, 12, Nottingham

Cute catShabaaz, 13, Manchester

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We always love reading your fantastic stories and poems, so keep them coming! Here are

some of our favourites from this issue’s postbag.

It’s your page!

Evie’s rapOhhhh. Check it out.Hey, I’m Evie. I’m eight years old.I was at school, then I was tired and cold.I went home and then my momma sawThis lump in my chest and it was very poor.Please look at me, I’m brave and strong.I can give this cancer a smack on its bum. When I ask you, please go away.You stay right here and ache every day.I’m brave, yes I am brave.For today, take this musicAnd use it, let me take it away.And be brave and braverAnd I’ll make a way.I know it won’t be long,So I’ll just have to wait.Just be brave. Why choose me?What did I ever do?Before I was skinny,Too shy to go outside.My friend’s mummyHeld a fundraiser to make the time funny. And be brave and braverAnd I’ll make a way.Just be brave.

Evie, 8, Bracknell

Your Shout! Write a poem or story

and you could win a £10

Amazon voucher! Just

use the Freepost envelope provided or

email us at shoutout@clicsargent.org.uk.

The winning entry will appear in the next

issue of Shout Out! Don’t forget to include

your full name, date of birth and postcode.

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My school tripThree years ago I had cancer. Now I am okay and I am on my bike again.

I went to Paris with my school. When we went there, we went to a lot of places. I will just say the ones that were the best. We went on the river Seine. Then we went up the Eiffel Tower. We also walked around the most expensive shopping place but we didn’t go in the shops. We went in the shopping mall and I bought some stuff and we did some activities at the hotel. On the last day, we went to Disneyland Paris for the day. We went on all the rides, even the upside-down rides! It was so much fun. That is what I did in Paris.

Leah, 13, Cambourne

In the last issue of Shout Out!, we challenged you to come up with a story based around our beach

themed words. We had a hard time picking a winner from all the amazing entries, but we all

loved Aasia’s Treasure Island adventure. Well done Aasia – your £10 Amazon voucher is on its way!

One day at the beach…

One day I was sitting on the beach, when an old pirate walked up to me

holding a hat with an octopus on it. He said to me in a quiet voice, ‘You are the one to help me find my treasure. Here’s your hat, follow me for an exciting adventure ahead. Hop onto my ship and let’s sail the seas. To find my precious treasure we must find Octopus Island.’ They sailed for days until one sunny day they found it hidden behind Shark Island. They jumped off the ship to find a huge chest full of golden treasure. They sailed back home and happily lived together, waiting for another adventure.

Aasia, 10, Bradford

HaHaHa

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We want to give a big shout out to the ELM School of Music in Edinburgh, which has put on a Christmas concert as part of Practice-a-thon every year since 2011. Last year the pupils raised a fantastic £775 for CLIC Sargent: more than ever before! Now they’re busy planning their concert for this Christmas. Great work, guys!

I want to thank everyone involved in the Christmas concert for CLIC Sargent. The children were fantastic and it was a great experience for them.

Emma, Music Teacher at ELM

Every year, across the UK, primary school pupils

and their teachers take part in CLIC Sargent’s

Practice-a-thon to support children and young

people with cancer.

Some children ask their friends and family to

sponsor them to practice for a music exam or

a concert. Others organise and sell tickets for

amazing shows, dance or drama performances.

Some even take part in mega musical marathons,

playing their instrument for hours at a time!

HaHaHa

Practice-a-thon:

HaHaHaHaHaHa

HaHaHa

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HaHaHa

HaHaHa

HaHaHa

Your jokes...We laughed our socks off

reading the jokes you sent

us. Here are some of our

favourites – we hope they

give you a giggle!

Your Shout!Go on, give us a giggle… Send your

funniest jokes to us in the Freepost

envelope provided, or email them to

shoutout@clicsargent.org.uk. Remember

to tell us your full name, date of birth and

postcode. Look out for our favourites in the

next issue!

Q: Why shouldn’t leopards play hide and seek?A: Because they are

always spotted!Alex, 11, Cheadle

Q: Why are cooks so mean?

A: Because they beat eggs, whip cream and

batter fish!Emily, 10, Isle of Lewis

Q: Why did the man with one hand cross

the road?A: To get to the

second-hand shop!Rahul, 12, Bootle

Q: How do you make a sausage roll?

A: Push it down a hill!Alice, 13, Calne

Q: What did the red light say to the green and amber light?A: Don’t look now, I’m changing!

Aasia, 10, Bradford

Q: What wobbles in the sky?

A: A jellycopter!Lena May, 11, Newport

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Need to know moreCLIC Sargent – www.clicsargent.org.ukSpeak to your CLIC Sargent care team, call us on 0300 330 0803 or email info@clicsargent.org.uk

Check out our storybooks to understand more about cancer and its treatment.

c Mary has a brain tumour

c Joe has leukaemia

c Lucy has a tumour

c Tom has lymphoma

c Chemotherapy, cakes and cancer

You can get a copy from your CLIC Sargent care team, or ask an adult to download or order a copy from our website www.clicsargent.org.uk

ChildLine – www.childline.org.ukYou can call ChildLine on 0800 11 11 or contact them online at www.childline.org.uk if you would like to chat to somebody privately about anything that may be worrying you.

Children’s Cancer and Leukaemia Group – www.cclg.org.ukYou can download lots of useful publications about cancer and treatment from their website, including many that have been written especially for children. Otherwise, you could order them through the CLIC Sargent website, or ask your care team for copies.

Bullying UK – www.bullying.co.ukBullying UK can be contacted by anybody needing information or advice about bullying in school. Call their helpline free on 0808 800 2222 or visit their website for more information.

Make sure you ask an adult before using the telephone or computer!

Shout Out! is CLIC Sargent’s magazine for 7 to 13-year-olds.If you have any questions about the magazine check with your parent or carer if they are happy for you to call us on 0300 330 0803 and then ask to speak to the Information Manager.

www.clicsargent.org.ukRegistered charity number 1107328 and registered in Scotland (SC039857)

Please note that everyone’s experience will be different and may not follow the order outlined in this publication, and that services will differ across the UK. CLIC Sargent cannot accept any responsibility for information and services provided by third parties, including those referred to or signposted to in this publication.

While we take every care to ensure that the information provided is accurate and up-to-date at time of printing, CLIC Sargent cannot accept liability for any loss or damage resulting from any inaccuracy or omission in this publication. Information should not be relied on in place of appropriate professional or other advice specific to your circumstances.

REF: SO01_14KF213, Issue 9, Autumn 2014. Next issue: Winter 2015