A RAMSGATE teenager battling cancer says he was 'overwhelmed' when American band Slipknot sent him a get well video message after he was too ill to see them perform.
Chay Garrod, 19, was supposed to see his favourite band in London on Tuesday, February 9, but came down with an infection.
The former Ellington and Hereson and Northdown primary pupil has had heart disease all his life and has had a pacemaker since the age of two. In February 2015, he was diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma.
Chay said: "It was hard fitting in during PE due to my scars and pacemaker so I mainly sat out, and that's when I found my love for Slipknot in about Year 4. Their music was just so different to all the rest and showed me how to have a better outlook on life.
"I can connect to some of them from the band because of not fitting in so much but they never gave up or changed themselves so I started to spend all day everyday listening to heavy metal with Slipknot being the main band and my inspiration."
Chay was meant to see the band last year but was unable to after he was diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma. The Willow Foundation, which brings special days to the seriously ill, got Chay VIP tickets to last week's performance but he took a turn for the worse.
He said: "My reaction to the video was overwhelming I think I actually cried to know that they know who I am and even in the worst of situations someone can make it better and show you there's hope.
In the message, the band said 'We're thinking about you and will hopefully see you soon'.
Chay said: "I've been fighting cancer for over a year now Hodgkin Lymphoma stage 4 and have had many intense treatments of chemotherapy but so far nothing has worked.
"I found out a few weeks back my sister Nikki was a match for a bone marrow transplant and that's what I'm doing now. I'm in Royal Marsden hospital, having a transplant."
Chay's brother Ry raised more than £800 for the Royal Marsden by shaving his hair off to show his support.
Chay said: "Before I was ill, I had a job in Game. I loved it, the people, the place, it was just amazing and I met some of my closest friends there. I wouldn't change that for anything.
"My hobbies used to be skateboarding but I haven't managed that since I was diagnosed.
"I still have a passion for skateboarding but my further dream is to become an actor and have my story in a film so people know what it's like to live with something so dangerous. I can show my story through my eyes.
"I don't think I'd be here if it wasn't for my amazing supportive family and my girlfriend, Julia Ferrett, who hasn't turned her back on me once even though a lot of my friends did."
Read more: http://www.thanetgazette.co.uk/Amer...tory-28761914-detail/story.html#ixzz40vFkpgZC
Chay Garrod, 19, was supposed to see his favourite band in London on Tuesday, February 9, but came down with an infection.
The former Ellington and Hereson and Northdown primary pupil has had heart disease all his life and has had a pacemaker since the age of two. In February 2015, he was diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma.
Chay said: "It was hard fitting in during PE due to my scars and pacemaker so I mainly sat out, and that's when I found my love for Slipknot in about Year 4. Their music was just so different to all the rest and showed me how to have a better outlook on life.
"I can connect to some of them from the band because of not fitting in so much but they never gave up or changed themselves so I started to spend all day everyday listening to heavy metal with Slipknot being the main band and my inspiration."
Chay was meant to see the band last year but was unable to after he was diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma. The Willow Foundation, which brings special days to the seriously ill, got Chay VIP tickets to last week's performance but he took a turn for the worse.
He said: "My reaction to the video was overwhelming I think I actually cried to know that they know who I am and even in the worst of situations someone can make it better and show you there's hope.
In the message, the band said 'We're thinking about you and will hopefully see you soon'.
Chay said: "I've been fighting cancer for over a year now Hodgkin Lymphoma stage 4 and have had many intense treatments of chemotherapy but so far nothing has worked.
"I found out a few weeks back my sister Nikki was a match for a bone marrow transplant and that's what I'm doing now. I'm in Royal Marsden hospital, having a transplant."
Chay's brother Ry raised more than £800 for the Royal Marsden by shaving his hair off to show his support.
Chay said: "Before I was ill, I had a job in Game. I loved it, the people, the place, it was just amazing and I met some of my closest friends there. I wouldn't change that for anything.
"My hobbies used to be skateboarding but I haven't managed that since I was diagnosed.
"I still have a passion for skateboarding but my further dream is to become an actor and have my story in a film so people know what it's like to live with something so dangerous. I can show my story through my eyes.
"I don't think I'd be here if it wasn't for my amazing supportive family and my girlfriend, Julia Ferrett, who hasn't turned her back on me once even though a lot of my friends did."
Read more: http://www.thanetgazette.co.uk/Amer...tory-28761914-detail/story.html#ixzz40vFkpgZC
