- M
Hi everyone,
I am near retirement, born and raised in London.
My parents, came to England as hip twenty somethings, part of the Windrush generation. Arriving with hopes for a dream life better than the ones they left behind. Leaving their homes saying good-bye to their parents and wider family.
Arriving on an invitation, like so many commonwealth people at that time. Settling in London with it's diverse communities.
My family life in the early years faced turbulence, due to domestic violence. This left my wonderful mother very injured and eventually surviving as a single parent.
I was born premature with some underdevelopment. This affected the way I looked.
Unlike today, London was less accepting then. There was no body positivity or wide understanding of subtle neurodivergence. Consequently, I faced a lot of bullying.
My profile, is a big jaw, lips, mouth and nose. I was often left out of social events or called harsh names. My manner I was told is slow. Fortunately, my mother was a constant rock to get through this rejection. Ever kind and believing in me.
I although neurodivergent, sometimes isolated, I gained two degrees - making my mother proud. Then, later finding my calling - teaching.
I enjoyed being a teacher, with its high standards of behaviour that shape society, being able to guide children patiently, creating a community in the classroom and so much more.
For nearly thirty years, I worked as a school teacher in inner London, where I met hundreds of teachers and taught thousands of students.
Mid-career, an opportunity arose to work in the private sector , I considered this was the place for me with better pay and surroundings. However, life does not always go to plan.
In 2019, before covid, the private school employer announced an intent to restructured staff. Rumours were rift with worried staff concerned about their positions.
One afternoon, I was called into the head teacher's mahogany office. He slide a white envelope towards me. It turned out, I along with three other staff, being made redundant. All I was later told were over 50. This came as a complete shock. I had imagined I would retire there.
Venturing back into job seeking, it was clear, so much had changed. The educational teaching landscape different. My degree, in ICT once highly sought after, had been replaced in favour of degrees in Computer Science, which employers now preferred.
Consequently, permanent work was harder to find. But that was not the only change.
I also noticed, I just wasn't the same as I had been in the early years of teaching. The body and mind changes.
Starting over was hard, the staff were generally younger, many young enough to be my children. But I resolved to embrace this.
Although looking for permanent, I found myself supply teaching for long periods. That was not easy.
As daily supply staff, this resulted in me working in something like 200 to 300 schools over a seven year period.
As an older teacher, I wanted less stress but found supply work had its own issues.
The work was irregular - insecure without a contract. With long or convoluted commutes, or last minute bookings. Random cancellations without compensation was normal. The lifestyle sometimes resulting in being in five different schools in one week.
The demands had been high, with added financial constraints of,
- no sick pay,
- no holiday pay and
- no pension.
And often paid 50% less than permanent staff. All my savings drained away over time. These were the conditions for me as a supply teacher in England.
All this while going through the trials of menopause.
Working when sick with comparative less rights than permanent teachers, was wearing.
Over my entire career and more so when working as a supply teacher, I rarely had holidays and lived minimally.
This was compounded by two high interest loans and a student loan.
Working with so much uncertainty, felt exhausting being unable to take breaks when the contracted staff could.
To meet everyday basic bills, it became necessary to seek work over the half-terms, Easters, and Summer 'holidays'.
More recently, I started to experience fatigue and body pains. At the same time the five month temporary booking I had, working as a teacher in an SEND school ended. Due to taking medical time off. There was no sick pay.
Following a series of investigations, I was diagnosed with aggressive, Endometrial serous sarcoma, level 1, stage 3 cancer.
This has been devastating. I have thought about how I got this and how it could have been prevented. A stressful lifestyle seems a key factor. But the doctor said it is open to many factors.
I do not see myself as a victim. Nor, do I want pity.
This is something I will beat.
There is pioneering treatments and surgery to help in Germany. They do a personalised treatment system.
But it comes at a cost, I do not have, having spent my peak earning years on low wages.
This go-fund-me is to raise funds to support me paying for this treatment.
One of my hobbies has been writing. I intend to share my journey, which can be useful to so many.
Last year, I wrote a self help book about cover teaching, called the Happy Cover Teacher. It covers the pitfalls, and guides new educators on what to avoid.
There's also a photo of me with Charlene White getting advice about this at the Hammersmith Book Festival in 2025.
Last year, I produced a calendar, depicting educators as Super Heroes, shown in the images. There's an AI picture of me teaching fitness to local elders, another hobby.
Over near 30 years, I have held safe spaces for many and worked at a moments notice. This can be rewarded if enough people hear about this and I will have the treatment, and a long sunny holiday.
I know from networking with other teachers and other people on zero hour contracts, this is becoming increasing common.
It is hoped my story will go further and bring about improvements to the working conditions for supply educators.
If you can donate, kindly do. Kindly share and promote this. It would make a great difference to me.
All donations are blessed and appreciated.
The money is for pioneering treatment in Germany, remove any potential toxic structures like, an old root canal and a dozen mercury amalgams.
Since March I have not been working / earning. I was told stress can accelerate the condition.
As a supply staff, I have been managing without an income, while the admin of UC takes place. I was told it can take up to six weeks. I am a proud person, but something I learned, sometimes pride has to take second place.
One takeaway for people reading this is to take out medical insurance. None of us know the future, it can change in an instant. Insurance is a safety net.
Here is more information on the treatment
https://bookinghealth.com/blog/oncology/732534-uterine-cancer-treatment-options-for-endometrial-womb-cancer.html
This diagnosis made me wake up, to having to change and focus on health.
How to protect yourself, loved ones and your community from this disease?
1) Exercise: Do 2-3 hours cardio exercise weekly, especially in menopause. I have taught as a second job, Pilates and Yoga. Cardio should have been added to this.
2) Remove Toxins 360 -Live clean, eat clean: eat organic, don't eat processed food
3) Fast: Do intermittent fasting, and monthly a 3 day fast
4) Sleep: Get enough sleep, stick to the circadian rhythm
5) Stress: Manage stress levels. Do not have a chronic stress lifestyle
6) Speak: talk to other women / men about health concerns
7) Happy: Do not sit in jobs / situations where you are long term unhappy
8) Love: Do what you love in life that is holistic for your long term happiness
9) Budget: Stick to a budget to manage your money during austere times
10) Insure: Have life / health insurance as an essential feature.
11) Vit D: Consume high dose vitamin D3 + K2. Add zinc, magnesium and traces of copper, if living in the south of the world.
12) Sun: Take time to bath in natural sunlight everyday. It feeds and heals.
13) Breath: Slow deep and intentionally breath to sooth your nerves and connect to your spirit.
14) Kind: Select for the best, immerse yourself in a kindness and peaceful community. A place where you feel safe, free to be your true self and supported.
15) Dentistry: There is a link with dentistry and cancer. See this link for details https://youtu.be/vGusDIvEHAo?si=aavFWTCZxwcTOyQl Any alien structures in the body should be removed.
16) Faith: Have a strong nurturing belief system.
I have not always done these, but I realise their importance now.
This post by Yekhi is useful to all.
This website needs to be seen by all women.
Please donate and share this vital post.
My early life had some struggles. I don't focus on the past, I focus on a great future.
I look forward to my next chapter, healed and living a better life.
Together, this goal can be reached, because together dreams can come true.
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