Nicole's Journey
In May 2018, we heard the news that Nicole Lowther, one of our S6 pupils who has now left school, had been diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. We were all understandably shocked and very upset at the thought of this lovely young woman having to battle something like this.
The diagnosis meant that Nicole did not sit her last few SQA exams. It also meant that she was unable to take part in the school trip to Rwanda, which she had fundraised for. Despite being devastated to miss it, she picked herself up and decided to focus on next year - she is still determined to visit the country, and anyone that knows her knows she will do it. Nicole also had to defer her place at university.
Nicole's positivity is inspiring! As well as her determination. She has said from the outset she doesn't want people crying, she wants to fight this with everything - and she has stayed true to her word.
One of the first things she did was set up a blog to document her treatment and her experiences of living with Hodgkin's - you can follow "The C Word" at
https://nicolelowther.wixsite.com/thecword
Here at Kilsyth Academy, we are a family. As one of our family is going through a tough time, we want to do something to show our support for her. Nicole has expressed gratitude for the Teenage Cancer Trust who have made her visits for chemotherapy so much more bearable. A couple of us were having a conversation and came up with the idea of a sponsored head shave - putting the idea out there, we now have 4 head shaves and a very drastic haircut! Nicole loves the idea, and has been sharing our fundraising page. She faces the reality of losing her hair, and again, has faced it with strength and dignity. For us, this is a choice, and one which will hopefully raise some money for a fantastic charity.
Nicole and her family are planning to come along on the day to see the event, and all students have been given a sponsorship form. It doesn't have to be a fortune - if every student in school brought in £1, it would be a fantastic amount of money.
It shows just how much Nicole is thought of - her school family are behind her all the way and want to do their bit to support the charity who are supporting her. She is halfway through her treatment, and so far responding well. Some days are tougher than others, but through it all she hasn't lost her smile or her fighting spirit.
Our JustGiving page, "Teachers go Bald for Teenage Cancer Trust" can be found at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/jayne-gordon
Kilsyth Academy is a non-denominational six-year comprehensive co-educational school. It was established in the small, historic burgh of Kilsyth towards the end of the 19th century and moved to the present building in 1952.
The school serves the communities of Kilsyth, Banton, Campsie Glen, Haughhead, Lennoxtown, Queenzieburn and Milton of Campsie.
The primary schools associated with Kilsyth Academy are Balmalloch Primary, Banton Primary, Chapelgreen Primary, Kilsyth Primary, Craighead Primary and Lennoxtown Primary.
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New National Qualifications, to support the Senior Phase of Curriculum for Excellence, have been introduced in Scotland since 2013.
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