Michèle Pütz is 10 years old, in the bloom of her childhood, enjoying carefree days with her family and friends. She goes to school in Esch, in the Bruch district, and is in her fifth year. Everything is perfectly normal for a child of that age – until the day everything changes.
Michèle receives a diagnosis of lymph node cancer. The tumour had gone undetected in her body for a long time, and her parents had taken her to many doctors before clarity was finally reached. They were quickly referred to the children’s clinic in Saarbrücken, and from one moment to the next, life was no longer the same.
“As a child, I never thought about whether a child could get cancer. I had no connection to that illness.”
Michèle was not permitted to have contact with friends or other children. She underwent chemotherapy and radiotherapy. She could no longer attend school. At first, attempts were made to follow lessons from the hospital, but in the end that proved impossible. During this period, she had no friends at the hospital at first, though she eventually built some relationships there. Still, she describes it as a time of isolation.
Looking back, Michèle says she did not worry about her life at the time and relied heavily on her parents. She now recognises that there were moments of fear, uncertainty, and significant pain, but recalls that her parents and hospital staff always helped her feel at ease.
“When my blood count was not good, I had to stay in the hospital. Otherwise, I was allowed to go home. Then the next round of chemo would come.”
The illness also affected her social life. Chemotherapy caused her to lose her hair, and cortisone led to visible swelling. She explains that she looked visibly ill, and that many children kept their distance and no longer wanted to play with her. She also had to repeat her school year because she had missed so many lessons. At the time, doctors told her she was healthy again and should move on with her life, without dwelling too much on her illness.
Despite everything, Michèle later completed her studies and pursued her dream job as a nursery school teacher – a profession deeply connected to her upbringing, as both of her parents worked in education and her mother was also a nursery school teacher. From a young age, she wanted to work with children, often observing her mother in the classroom and never considering another career.
Until January 2024, Michèle Pütz lived what she describes as a normal life. She worked as a nursery school teacher in Reckange-sur-Mess and had a son, Lee. Around that time, she began experiencing recurring stomach problems and went to the hospital.
Her condition fluctuated, improving and then returning, until she received her diagnosis: bowel cancer. She describes the diagnosis as a “punch in the face.” She had long believed the symptoms were harmless until confronted with the results. The illness also deeply affected her family life, particularly as her son was in the middle of his entrance exams for secondary school.
Being unable to be at home during that time was especially difficult for her. She credits her husband and son with giving her immense strength, noting that her husband helped Lee understand the situation and eased his fears. Her friends were deeply saddened by the diagnosis. Michèle also received support from her surroundings: the children in her class drew pictures, sent messages, and recorded short videos for her.
Being able to see her nursery school children and teach them again was what she missed most during her absence. From January until the summer of 2024, she was not present at the school in Reckange. In September, she returned to work part-time. Together with the occupational health doctor, the 44-year-old is now considering how she can continue working.
She recalls comments suggesting that managing a class, especially with very young children, would be very difficult. While she initially felt angry about such remarks, she now acknowledges that certain challenges are indeed genuinely hard.
This reflection weighs on her, and she describes it as a thought that often makes her sad. Nevertheless, Michèle Pütz wants to make the best of her situation: to enjoy life, take more time for the small things, and especially to go on long walks with her dog, Iceman.
