'My 10yo daughter Poppy was diagnosed with cancer last year. These are the 12 things I've learnt.'

In May 2020, Australian journalist and author Dan Box's daughter, Poppy, was diagnosed with cancer.

The now-10-year-old was diagnosed with a rare childhood cancer called neuroblastoma; a tumour that grows in the cells of the body's nerves.

Since her diagnosis, Poppy has undergone rounds of chemotherapy, operations, hair loss and hair regrowth, all while living in lockdown in the UK during a global pandemic.

P’s ⁦@beadsofcourage⁩ - one bead for every scan, needle, round of chemo; bigger beads for operations, hair loss, hair regrowth and so on. She’s up to 470 and her sting of beads is twice as tall as I am pic.twitter.com/u6RYE5W6XE

— Dan Box (@DanBox10) February 7, 2021

In September 2020, Box completed '100 for Poppy', "a zero-carbon, virtual challenge to represent the 100 children diagnosed with neuroblastoma in the UK every year".

My daughter Poppy has recently been diagnosed with a tough form of cancer called neuroblastoma. In September, I’ll be running 100km through some of Britain’s toughest hill country as part of a fundraiser organised by friends and family. Please take a look https://t.co/MkbgeuQbiM pic.twitter.com/IfQHvOENbq

— Dan Box (@DanBox10) August 19, 2020

Now, one year into Poppy's fight, Box has shared 12 things he's learnt over the past 12 months. Here's what he wrote.

"One year on from my daughter’s #cancer diagnosis, this is what I wish someone had told me a year ago," he started the Twitter thread.

1. You’re stronger than you think. You have reserves of strength you have never imagined - because you have not had to draw from them before now.

2. Your daughter/son/wife/husband/parent is also much stronger than you realised. They, too, are stronger than you have ever imagined.

3. That said, it is still one day at a time. A day is manageable. Thinking and worrying about the future doesn’t help. Do what needs to be done today. Then do what needs to be done tomorrow.

4. You will spend a lot of time going to different shops, trying to find foods that your daughter/son/etc can eat while they are going through chemo. All of these will be refused as soon as you bring them back. Sometimes you will be sent to look for food that may not even exist.

5. Chemo isn’t as bad as you think it is. Until it is. By which I mean, a lot of it is manageable, and the hospital staff know exactly what to do to help you manage.

6. Nurses are fantastic.

7. Doctors are pretty great, too. To be honest, I’ve found doctors more complicated than nurses. Maybe it’s a reflection of their different roles but some doctors I’ve disagreed with whereas pretty much every nurse has nailed it from the beginning.

8. Hope. Some doctors will talk about survival rates. This is your child/partner/parent. They are unique. The survival statistics don’t mean anything will necessarily happen to them - and it is your job to always hope for the best. That way you can do everything to make it happen.

9. Don’t lose hope. It will happen sometimes. Pick yourself up and keep going. And do look after yourself - it’s not being selfish; you need to be able to function tomorrow, so make sure you look after yourself today.

10. None of this will make sense now. Don’t worry. You’ll start to understand it and, pretty soon, you’ll know far more about it than you ever thought was possible.

11. Going back to doctors - don’t be afraid to challenge them. As you learn more about what cancer is and how it’s treated, you will have questions. Ask them. Seek second opinions. You’re the only person whose sole job is to fight for your child/partner/parent. Fight hard.

12. Laugh. Smile. Ignore cancer sometimes, or find it funny. There are funny moments. I know you don’t believe it now, but it’s like point 1. - you will find the strength from somewhere.

"That’s it. 12 points for 12 months. Hope it helps somebody," he ended his Twitter thread. 

Comments of support flooded in, including people sharing lessons of their own.

Been through my own 15 months of treatment for stage 4 lymphoma - finally getting clear scans. You sum it up perfectly! You have to experience it to understand it, and passing on that knowledge to the newly diagnosed and their supporters is one of the most important things.

— Alicia Byrne (@AliciaB22) May 25, 2021

Fantastic thread - was my sister’s carer through her bout, she was mine one year later. Having been on both sides I can identify with every word! My best advice? Just go with the flow! So much is out of your control.

— 💧🌱Samantha Bailey 🕯 (@samanthajbailey) May 26, 2021

May I suggest a 13th that I suspect runs beneath and around all the others. ‘You will receive love from friends and strangers alike because that is the essence of humanity; we care for those in need of strength’

Just putting it out there because I know so many people love you

— Nick Aldworth (@CTCommentator) May 25, 2021

Having been told today that my advanced cervical cancer has returned a second time, I can say: I don’t know what my strength is, I’m just doing what I’ve done for the last 3 years. There’s a bit of shock & a bit of denial chucked in there too; it’s not all strength.

— Rhiannonator 🚃 (@BowenRhi) May 26, 2021

I’ll add one: “There will be people in your life who relentlessly need to find the positive in everything, including your child’s cancer diagnosis. You’re allowed to tell them to bugger off while you feel all of the my-life-has-just-blown-up-in-every-possible-way feelings.

— Anna Stanford (@byannastanford) May 26, 2021

As there's a chance Poppy will need to receive further treatment not currently available in the UK, her family and friends have started a fundraiser. You can donate here.

Feature image: Twitter/@DanBox10