Ramsay Clark will celebrate a number of milestones in the coming weeks – his 18th birthday and finishing school among them.
But on May 4 and 5, it will be a different type of celebration altogether: a year on from being diagnosed with lymphoblastic lymphoma, Ramsay’s family will be cheering him on as he takes to the catwalk for Friends of Anchor.
The Portlethen Academy pupil is the youngest of this year’s Brave models, and is looking forward to joining the 23 other men preparing to strut their stuff to raise funds for cancer and haematology patients in the north-east.
It was Ramsay’s mum, Fiona, who encouraged him to sign up for the event and now he is looking forward to the final rehearsals on Monday – his 18th birthday.
“My experience with Brave has been nothing but positive,” he said. “There’s a real comradery with all the other blokes. It’s nothing but positive vibes.
“I’m going to try and help out with Friends of Anchor in the future as well, this is not just a one-time thing for me.”
‘Friendly faces’
Ramsay, from Newtonhill, was working hard for his school exams when he fell ill last May.
“I had a lump on my neck, which I thought was reactive lymph nodes, and a cough,” he said. “I was just feeling a bit under the weather, I thought because I was studying hard.
“They told me it was cancer when I was eventually brought to the hospital. It was quite a shock but I had that thought in the back of my mind that it could be serious.
“It’s been a long journey with ups and downs, but Friends of Anchor has always been there to support me.”
The teenager credits the charity’s resources for helping him take his mind off everything when receiving treatment and he is now raising funds so others can continue to benefit from their support.
The team at the Anchor Unit provided a fan to keep him cool in the hot hospital ward, games consoles to keep him entertained and he benefited from the podiatry service who always “worked their magic”.
“Friends of Anchor were absolutely lovely when I was diagnosed,” Ramsay said. “They were friendly faces at a stressful time. They made me feel as comfortable as possible.”
His mum was by his side throughout the whole journey, as well as his dad, Alex, and siblings Zoe and Aidan.
‘Keep your chin up’
Ramsay is now in a “maintenance” period after receiving the bulk of his chemotherapy and steroid treatments.
He will continue with treatments over the next couple of years but for now he has been able to return to a bit of normality, including returning to Portlethen Academy for his final classes after a 10-month break.
“School has been so accommodating and helped me ease back into a social situation and work environment,” he added.
After taking part in Brave and enjoying a summer off, Ramsay plans to do a HND in accountancy.
Following the final rehearsals on Monday, the “Brave boys” will head out for a pint to mark his 18th birthday.
“Rehearsals have been great and they’ve helped with my recovery,” he said. “It’s given me a reason to keep going and keep my energy high.
“It’s important to keep your chin up and not give up – even when times are tough.
“I’m really excited for the show now. I’ll be nervous but I can’t wait for it to be my turn.”
- Brave takes place at the Beach Ballroom, Aberdeen on May 4 and 5. For more information, or tickets click here.
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