"When I grow up I want to help people to stay away from drugs."

"When I grow up I want to help people to stay away from drugs."

Susie is 14 years old and has lived with her grandfather since she was just 4. Her Mum has been in and out of prison for drug related crime for as long as she can remember. Susie’s grandfather has done his best to be both a Mum and Dad to Susie and her younger sister. At times they have struggled to find enough money to keep up with the school fees and all the things that Susie and her sister would like to have. Her grandfather has always let their Mum come and go as often as she liked but it makes him angry when she forgets Susie’s birthday or important events like Christmas and school performances. Susie knows that her Mum doesn’t mean to forget and it is just that drugs have a real hold on her, but it still hurt sometimes. When Susie joined Mirabel’s Youth Ambassadors program she said it was the first time she could talk honestly about her Mum and her childhood. All her friends at school still think her Mum travels a lot for business and that’s why she lives with her grandfather. When she finishes school Susie wants to become a counsellor so she can help people to stay away from drugs. She hopes that one day she will also find the right words to help her Mum.