Childhood cancer survivor pens books to help other young people fight the disease
Five years ago a Year 11 student was rocked by the news that cancer had spread through his body. It was a hard fight to see the disease off and now he is sharing insights with other young people.
Daniel Schmaling was moved to tears while thumbing through a children’s book during one of his many cancer treatments.
The book was written from the perspective of a young child fighting leukaemia.
It had been placed in Queensland Children’s Hospital family to inspire hope but it left Mr Schmaling feeling depressed as he came to terms with his own diagnosis, testicular cancer that in about six months had spread to his stomach and neck.
He vowed that when he recovered he would write his own book, to give young people in his situation hope, some insider information, and a laugh.
It is now four years on and Mr Schmaling has come good on his promise, with his first book, The Battle Below The Belt being distributed to hospitals and libraries across Australia.
“I was never a big reader and 10 years ago if you told me I was going to be an author, I would have said you were full of it,” he said.
“The book is a mix of education about what to expect with treatment, highlights from moments in my journey and I have a wicked sense of humour and I wanted to include that.”
The book was produced in partnership with the Make-A-Wish-Foundation, and seeing it on the shelves was Mr Schmaling’s ‘wish’.
The Downlands College graduate was in Year 11 when he went to the doctor to have a lump on his neck checked out.
Tests revealed it was a swollen lymph node that had turned cancerous, with the disease worming its way from ‘below the belt’ and through his stomach, lungs and lymph nodes.
It was a diagnosis that rocked the young man.
“For the last term of Year 11, I spent the majority of my time living at the hospital in Brisbane doing chemotherapy,” he said.
“Then in Year 12 I had four surgeries.
“It was a bit of struggle when you do 10 weeks of school you are whisked away for surgeries and then weeks of recovery,
“It was difficult, but I had a lot of support at school and at home.”
It is now five years on from the diagnosis and Mr Schmaling is cancer free, though he will have to be a constant guard for potential flare ups.
In that time Mr Schmaling has become a youth worker and teacher aide, helping clients and students through Life Without Barriers and The Good Samaritan College.
“I am looking at doing a diploma in counselling and one of my dream jobs is to be one of the counsellor with Canteen, the youth cancer agency.”
The Make-A-Wish Foundation held a book launch for The Battle Below the Belt at the Clifford Park Racecourse on Saturday.
Originally published as Childhood cancer survivor pens books to help other young people fight the disease
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