My name is Vladyslava Yausheva. In 2012, I was diagnosed with osteosarcoma of my right shoulder joint. Back then, the diagnosis came like a bolt from the blue for the whole family. I did not fully understand what it was. I did not have a state of horror and fear either. The understanding of it came only after the first course of chemotherapy, when I started losing my hair.

My fight against the disease lasted a total of five years. Relapses occurred frequently, almost every six months. In total, I went through 30 chemotherapy courses and 5 surgeries. Part of my arm had to be amputated. Now literally everything has changed in my life, from my profession to my lifestyle. You begin to appreciate those moments that you did not notice before the disease. Now I look in the mirror and understand that in fact the arm is only a part of me. You have to accept yourself as you are every day. Be or live in this moment and capture this moment.

I wear a prosthesis, but even when I communicate closely with people, they far not immediately notice it. This once again convinces me that we perceive the other person as a whole, and not in parts. I always liked to communicate with people, to share knowledge. And since last year, I have been teaching English and French in a private school. For me, this is a real pleasure and a mental release! I still dream of my own child – my husband and I are seriously considering the idea of ​​child adoption. Therefore, being among children, communicating and laughing with them is a real solace for me. There is one inclusive child among my students. He often comes up to me, hugs my prosthesis, and looks into my eyes, ‘Vlada, I promise you, it will be moving!’ At such moments, I do not cry – I just especially acutely feel the value of every moment allotted to me.