Young cancer survivor Ramiro Mallia is so grateful for the support he received when he was ill he is constantly conjuring new ways to give something back. He tells Philip Leone-Ganado what sick children really need, especially at Christmas, is courage.
Ramiro Mallia’s unconventional Christmas plans started simply enough as a joke with his father: what if he were to jump into the sea?
His father was sceptical, but from there, the 14-year-old’s idea took on a life of its own.
Now, half his school class will be joining him on Wednesday to run from Buġibba to Sliema, followed by a cold-water swim to raise funds for Puttinu Cares in the hope of offering some respite to children battling cancer at Christmas time.
For Ramiro, the fundraising activity has a deep personal significance. Having spent the earliest years of his own life fighting leukaemia, he is all too aware of the scale of the struggle facing the children he hopes to help.
“What children going through this really need, especially at Christmas, is courage,” he says. “Once they have that, half the battle is won.”
Ramiro was diagnosed with his illness a few months before his third birthday, and declared cancer-free when he was six. Because of his young age, he cannot recall too much of that time – beyond a difficult cycle of endless treatment that often kept him out of school and away from his friends for long stretches of time.
Everyone is proud of their children, but for a child of his age to do these things himself is wonderful for us to see
“The hardest part was seeing my family constantly upset,” he says. “We couldn’t make any plans because we never knew what was going to happen next.”
At the same time, Ramiro speaks passionately about the support he and his family received from different quarters – including Puttinu Cares – support without which he says he would not be here today.
“We never lost hope. There were always people who were there for us when we needed it. If I remember nothing else, it’s always smiling when I could. That’s what courage is.”
That support meant everything for his family at a difficult time. Ramiro’s mother Marylis recalls her son refusing to speak to anyone during one of the long stretches he spent in hospital during his illness.
“At the time, Puttinu was still a small organisation, but Ramiro received a lot of love from them,” she says. “They did everything to keep his spirits up and that made all the difference.”
Having never really known a time before his diagnosis, Ramiro is very matter-of-fact about his cancer battle, which he describes as “normal” and believes has not drastically changed his life.
Nevertheless, he remembers excitedly kicking away his pill bottles when he was finally told he had been cured, and speaks about the experience with a depth that belies his age: “You can never tell what’s going to happen in life,” he says. “When your time’s up, you’ll go.”
Today, he is a soft-spoken but very active teenager, not much different to any other boy his age. He plays football with Qormi FC and while some of his friends are aware of his history, it is not something he brings up with everyone he meets.
“Ramiro is always trying to set a good example,” says Steve Mifsud, his head teacher at St Nicholas College in Naxxar. “He’s altruistic, he loves football and other students look up to him.”
The fundraising activity Ramiro has planned for Christmas is not the first time he has involved himself in giving something back.
Last Easter, when his school baked and sold figolli in aid of charity, an annual event, Ramiro came forward to suggest Puttinu as beneficiaries, and took an active role in organising the event.
He also regularly volunteers at Puttinu marathons and organised a group from his class to take part in the annual Good Friday walk from Mellieħa to Senglea.
In all this, Ramiro has found the support of his friends and teachers, which his headmaster says the school is only too happy to encourage.
“We’re aware of Ramiro’s qualities and we want to foster those qualities not just for Ramiro himself but also to inspire other students,” Mr Mifsud says.
Ramiro’s mother also feels that his determination brings some meaning to his difficult experience. “Everyone is proud of their children, but for a child his age to do these things himself is wonderful for us to see,” she says. “He wouldn’t take no for an answer on this; he was determined to do something specifically for Puttinu.”
Meanwhile, for Ramiro himself, his efforts are the most normal thing in the world. “I received so much help when I needed it,” he says. “So if by doing something small I can help others in the same situation, of course I’ll do what I can.”
Ramiro’s fundraising run and swim will take place on Wednesday, December 23. Anyone wishing to donate can contact Puttinu Cares on 7980 9778. Representatives of the organisation will also be collecting funds at the start of the run in Buġibba Square.