From cancer to Koshimuzu! - Scholarship gives Kyla the edge

Diagnosed with a Wilms Tumour in 1990, at just 21/2 years old, Invercargill's Kyla McKenzie underwent 18 months of chemotherapy and surgery. She has since shaken off the cancer and moved on with her life, and this year a Child Cancer Foundation Scholarship has allowed her to move her life even further.

The scholarship meant Kyla, (now 16 years old) was able to join some of her James Hargest High School peers in April 2004 for a two-week student exchange trip to Kumagaya, Japan.

Little did Kyla know this trip would lead her back to Japan… to live.

Kyla had an incredible time in Kumagaya. While some of her fellow kiwi's were buddied up in classes with other kiwi's, Kyla was "on her own", but she wouldn't have had it any other way, "My classmates made me feel so welcome, in fact the whole school was happy to have us there, they even put on special classes to teach us about their culture." These special classes included displays of the ancient arts of flower arranging and Kendo (sword fighting).

She also spent four days in Tokyo site seeing around the Tokyo Towers, Honda Showrooms and Disneyland. Shopping was amazing, though Kyla says the fashion was rather "out there"; so rather than buying clothes she stuck to a few gifts for the family. When asked about the highlight of her trip, Kyla summed it up like this, "I just loved it!" she said.

And just as well she loved it, because James Hargest has now awarded Kyla with a scholarship to live in Koshimuzu, northern Japan for one year. Kyla is extremely excited and attributes one of the main reasons she was chosen to her earlier exchange. "My school chose me from a selection of others who has applied. The fact that I had already been in Japan and experienced part of the culture gave me the edge," she says.

The school felt that Kyla had a good understanding of what living in Japan would involve, and would therefore be a great candidate for the role. We must also mention Kyla's own hard work including three years of studying the Japanese language!

Congratulations Kyla, we wish you well.