My Past, My Future

by Chantelle Mackie
(Liverpool, United Kingdom)

Me and my adopted brother Matthew out for a walk

My name is Chantelle Mackie, I am a seventeen year old female from Liverpool in Merseyside. I have been through a lot of things in my life, most recently being the death of my disabled, addopted brother matthew. He was adopted into my family three years before I was born, therfore he was around me for the whole of my life. He had the mind of a 2 month old baby due to cerebal palsy and epilepsy and it was hard taking care of him. I was able to help my family to care for him from when i was about 10. I used to play with him and keep him happy, take him places and generally make his life as enjoyable as possible. The family used to take an annual trip to Lourdes with other families who had disbled children, we used to have great fun and i learned a lot while i was there.

This is the reason I want to work with disabled people. I can sympathise with the families who have a child with disabilities and I would like to make their lives easier.

Tom from Cutting Edge has changed my views on how life is going to go forth from here for me. He was proud abut my future career choice, and how much people like me mean to the world.

I am happy to hear about schemes coming forth such as "Pay it forward", I like the way this works because i have been in jams myself where i thought nothing could help me but someone has helped me in the way that this scheme helps other people.

Thankyou Tom from Cutting Edge for changing the way I think.