Category: Life

It is an understatement to say that losing a child she is carrying is every mother’s worst nightmare. For English singer Lily Allen, that nightmare became a reality in her journey towards motherhood – not just one but twice. The Hard Out Here hit-maker first suffered a miscarriage in 2008, when she was with her former partner, Ed Simons of the band Chemical Brothers. The depression that followed her loss led to her spending three weeks in a psychiatric clinic.  

In 2010, Allen was expecting her first child with husband, Sam Cooper. All seemed well for the couple, until six months into the pregnancy, when Allen contracted septicemia, a life-threatening bacterial blood infection. The condition came close to killing her, and claimed the life of her baby boy. Allen then became pregnant again with daughter Ethel who was born in 2011, but her trials weren’t over yet.

Ethel suffered several complications when she was born, and thus had to undergo surgery in her first two months of life. Following the surgery, she had to be tube-fed until she was seven months old. Allen would have reached a mental burnout, had it not been for her husband who stood by her throughout the pain and grief. She greatly credited him for keeping her together and bringing them closer together as a couple. To pull herself through the trying time, Allen directed her attention towards her art. Songwriting, she described, was a way for her to reclaim her life and reconnect with herself.     

Five years after her devastating losses, Allen decided to speak publicly about her ordeal in the hopes of offering comfort to those who shared her fate. In late 2015, she wrote a song Something’s Not Right for the movie Pan, in memory of the son she lost. When the song was released, she also reached out to her 5 million followers on Twitter, urging them to donate to the Stillbirth & Neonatal Death Charity (SANDS).       

Allen and Cooper welcomed their second daughter, Marnie in 2013. But their deceased baby boy is never far from their minds. The couple commemorated him with a stone engraved with his name in the garden of their home. Although she continues to put on a brave face in public, Allen admits that she has not completely move on from the traumatic loss. In fact, she describes stillbirth as a tragedy so horrendous that one can never really get over it, one can only learn to cope with it. She said that it was “something I would not wish on my worst enemy.”   

References:

The Bump. Available at www.thebump.com

Marie Claire. Available at www.marieclaire.co.uk

Huffington Post. Available at  www.huffingtonpost.co.uk

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Ever heard of the term ‘The Kylie Effect’? The term was popularized after a surge in the number of clinical breast exams, mammograms and breast biopsies occurred following the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer of Australia’s electrifying artist, fashion icon, entrepreneur, actress and philanthropist, Kylie Minogue. This whirlwind effect occurred after Kylie disclosed to the media that she was misdiagnosed the first time when she did her breast screening. Her move to undergo partial mastectomy and chemotherapy at the age of 36 in 2005, after the prior misdiagnosis, caused a colossal increase of women screening for breast cancer.

When she appeared in talk shows upon completion of her chemotherapy, Kylie’s repeatedly encouraged all women not to take any first account of screening for granted. They should go for a second opinion, or even third. And, always trust their instincts, as she did. Her bravery and courage in confronting cancer in the face was inspiring to many of her fans and the general public.

Before Kylie Jenner, there was already a famous Kylie making waves in pop culture. Starting out as an actress on the hit Australian soap opera Neighbours, her character’s romance with the clean-cut hunk played by her then-beau Jason Donovan captured the imagination of fans all over the world. Capitalizing on this, she released her first single, Locomotion, in 1988. It was a smash hit, and the rest was music history.

She is recognized as the highest-selling Australian artist of all time by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), and the 12th best selling singer in the United Kingdom with over 10.1 million sales, according to The Official Chart Company. During her success, Kylie had earned multiple global-awards for her outstanding achievements in music, dance and choreography.

She was also lauded for her artistic collaborations with director Baz Luhrman, various famous fashion designers and photographers. Additionally, she was praised for her efforts in fundraising for various causes, such as the survivors of natural disasters such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake and the 2011 tsunami and earthquake in Japan.

Of course, she also advocates for better breast cancer awareness and research. Her efforts earned her accolades and awards such as the Courage Award by EIF Women’s Cancer Research and Woman of the Year Award by Elle. She was also awarded an honorary Doctor of Health Sciences for her work in promoting cancer awareness by Anglia Ruskin University.

Kylie celebrated her 10th year cancer-free anniversary in 2015 by thanking her loved ones and her fans for their support during her trying times. According to her, women should never lose sight of who they are in their fight against cancer. “Believe in what you are capable of,” she advises, “and you can conquer even the unconquerable!”

References:

1. Kylie. Available at www.kylie.com

2. Guardian. Available at www.theguardian.com

3. Huffington Post. Available at www.huffingtonpost.co.uk

4. The Telegraph. Available at www.telegraph.co.uk

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The last two years have been very good for 23-year-old Nick Jonas. In late 2014, his self-titled second album hit the shelves to positive acclaim. “His most mature and riskiest work to date,” gushed Jon Caramanica of The New York Times, while tracks like Jealous and Chains hit the charts and solidified Jonas’s coming into his own as an artist in his own right.

Meanwhile, he had major roles in the TV series Kingdom and Scream Queens, while playing main leads in a few movies. You may also recall him flaunting his chiselled physique in various magazines.

2015 also marks the 10th year of him living with type 1 diabetes after being diagnosed back when he was only 13.

“When I was first diagnosed, I didn’t really know a lot about the disease,” he told ET Online earlier this year. “So, I actually thought I was going to die.”

At 13, he was just about to join his brothers Joe and Kevin in The Jonas Brothers, a clean-cut pop group that gained the adoration of millions of teenage girls.

From all appearances, The Jonas Brothers were healthy, upbeat and, of course, very busy. Behind the scenes, however, Jonas, was monitoring his blood glucose several times a day and working closely with healthcare professionals to control his diet and weight as well as develop a regime that would help him stay healthy and control his diabetes.

Jonas attributes his current well-being to the support of his fans, friends and family. His own determination to commit to healthy living also helps.

Ten years down the road, one only has to look at him to know that diabetes is never going to hold him back. He is determined to make his mark – solo this time – in music and acting. “The one mentality I’ve always tried to have is that no matter what stage of your career that you are in – be it a musician or a performer or a songwriter or whatever, there’s always more to learn,” he once said.

He is a role model both for fellow diabetics and young adults. He is a vocal advocate for type 1 diabetes, championing the use of proper monitoring technology as well as living a healthy and moderate lifestyle to those who have this disease. He is also an ambassador for Think It Up, a non-profit organization that provides funding for promising students to pursue projects of interest.

To his young fans, Jonas has only this to say to them: “Find things you’re passionate about, and find others who are as passionate as you are and will focus on giving you an opportunity to shine and to have your moment where you can be in front of others to show what you can do.”

That was what he did, and look at him now.

References: 1. ET Online. Available at www.etonline.com 2. Entertainment Weekly. Available at www.ew.com 3. The New York Times. Available at www.nytimes.com 4. Think It Up. Available at www.thinkitup.org

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Anthony Thanasayan is no stranger to advocacy. He is constantly at the forefront when it comes to advocating for the rights of the disabled. His writings are featured in The Star and The Malaysian Insider, among other publications, and he once served as a councillor in the Petaling Jaya City Council.

He has certainly come a long way from the student who was once barred from attending school because the administrators felt that the school lacked the proper facilities to cater to wheelchair-bound students.

“Malaysians still have the mentality that disabled people cannot do anything, when the thing that really paralyzes us is our attitude. Because of this attitude, buildings and modes of transports are set up without taking into account of the facilities needed by the disabled,” says Anthony. His trips abroad, such as to the United States, revealed to him that there are countries out there which provide excellent facilities for the disabled, and this discovery encourages him to champion for the same facilities to take place in this country.

Anthony was born with spina bifida, a condition that affected his spinal cord and eventually removed his ability to walk. His experiences as a wheelchair-bound person spurred him to become an advocate for better facilities and treatment for fellow disabled Malaysians. And he was just starting on the road to becoming an advocate when he discovered his other calling in life, as a pet lover and advocate.

“I had several dogs when I was young,” he recalls. Dogs aside, chickens and birds were aplenty around his childhood home in Klang. These animals became a constant presence in his life, and he gradually grew fond of them. During his teenage years, he was often confined at home while his peers went out and about. His sole companion then was a mongrel, Biman, who accepted him for who he was and treated him like a normal person.

But it was during a conference for the disabled in the United States that everything fell into place for Anthony. “There we were, all of us in wheelchairs,” he recalls, “and the speaker was a paraplegic (paralyzed from the neck down). He brought a dog in with him. I first wondered why he had brought it in. The reason became clear when he dropped the pointer. The rest of us did not know what to do, and then something amazing happened. The dog picked up the pointer, placed his front paws on the wheelchair, and passed the device back to the speaker! It was unbelievable!”

Until then, he did not know much about service dogs, but the incident spurred Anthony to learn more about them. “The dog was so well-behaved that it stunned me!” he says. The cost of a service dog can be prohibitive, however, and Anthony had the idea of training his own dogs instead.

The Rottweiler comes home

About a year later, Anthony felt that he had saved up enough money to have a dog of his own. “Most of my friends and family members were not keen on the idea of me keeping a dog,” he tells us. “They would tell me, ‘Who will feed and take care of the dog? How are you going to feed it?’ Only one friend supported my idea, and we visited the pet store together.”

It was probably kismet that the Rottweiler which he later named Vai would find him. Anthony initially wanted a German Shepherd, but the store only had a Rottweiler puppy. “I had my doubts about the Rottweiler, but this puppy just jumped out of his box onto my lap and licked me.”

Anthony was stunned. “Many people are hesitant to touch a disabled person, and here was a puppy which seemed excited to see me,” he says with a laugh. The puppy reminded Anthony so much of himself. “I didn’t like to be stuck inside a box myself,” he says, “so I felt like we had some kind of bond.” The dog had a wound, but Anthony did not mind.

From books, correspondences, online research, and trial and error, Anthony began to train Vai. Training dogs is not always easy, but he stresses that it is essential, as an easily distracted dog can be a danger to both itself and his owner. Fortunately, during his training of Vai, he found many fellow disabled people in America who were always willing to share ideas on how to train service dogs.

In time, Vai became not only Anthony’s companion but also devoted assistant. The Rottweiler would voluntarily push Anthony’s wheelchair up a slope, for example. “Often, I only had to train him once, and he got it quickly,” he remembers. “And this only encouraged me to keep going.”

Vai’s presence changed Anthony’s life. “All my life, well-meaning people have been telling me that I should not do this or I cannot do that. This can be demoralizing to the spirit. Vai, however, sees me as a person. He doesn’t judge me, and he is very generous with his love and loyalty. You cannot imagine how good it feels, to have someone who sees you for who you really are!”

After two weeks of living with Vai, Anthony decided to bring home Biman the Second, a Golden Shepherd, and there was no looking back from there. He will always have a room in his home and his heart for his canine good friends. His pets also became his inspiration to found the non-profit organization known as the Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (Petpositive).

“My dogs have helped me more in five years than any therapist in a lifetime,” Anthony says. “I’m now more confident about myself and my outlook in life is more positive. They have made such a difference in my life, I could not ask for better friends and companions.”

He adds, “Petpositive is my way of gathering like-minded individuals, to give back to others in need of the joyous things that I would always be grateful for.”

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According to founder Anthony Thanasayan, the Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (or Petpositive for short) is the first and only nationally registered non-profit society in the country which uses animals to empower the lives of disabled and elderly persons. While Anthony is a dog person, he assures that Petpositive works with all animals and offers a helping hand to all handicapped and elderly Malaysians.

“Pets can truly make a difference,” says Anthony, speaking from experience. Having a pet which does not see one’s disability as a weakness can help one develop a more positive outlook in life. Caring for a pet can also make one feel more empowered and confident. All these can help keep loneliness and depression at bay.

How Petpositive can make a difference

Petpositive works closely with a network of animal shelters and veterinarians, and therefore, can provide assistance in finding a suitable companion for an elderly or disabled person. The organization may also under certain circumstances, consider absorbing or subsidizing certain costs for those in need.

“However, we do this on a case-by-case basis,” explains Anthony. “We also have to look out for the welfare of the pets. Hopeful future pet owners and their family members need to demonstrate that they can take good care of the pet. In the event that the pet needs medical attention, there should be at least one person who can help the owner send the pet to a vet.”

Another important point to consider is the expectations of the person seeking animal therapy. Some applicants are looking for service dogs, but they expect these dogs to be able to immediately perform advanced tasks such as leading the blind through the streets. Such expectations are unrealistic and possibly dangerous, as in reality, dogs need to be given rigorous training before they can serve as service dogs. It is important that applicants have realistic expectations for their dog and are committed to participate in the necessary training of the dog.

Of course, some applicants may not want to keep a pet full-time. For these people, Petpositive can help by bringing around a pet to keep the person company at certain time of the day. The organization has volunteers who would gladly share their well-trained pets with those who would love to spend some time with these pets.

This brings us to the next point – Petpositive also assists in training pets, usually dogs, to be capable assistants as well as companions to the elderly and the disabled.

So, looking for a pet?

Dogs.

Like their undomesticated wolven ancestors, dogs are pack animals. Once they accept you as a part of their pack, they will be loyal and helpful companions. Sturdier working breeds, such as the Rottweiler and German Shepherd, can be reliable assistants as well after proper training. If you are looking for a furry friend who will help you in matters such as fetching items out of your reach, you may consider a dog. All a dog wants in return is your love and affection.

Cats.

Cats are solitary creatures, so they are not ideal if you are looking for a companion which can lend a helping hand. On the bright side, they make lovely companions for the bedridden or people who live a more sedate lifestyle. A cat can curl herself up in one’s lap, and just running one’s fingers through the cat’s fur can be therapeutic for most people.

Fish and other aquarium pets.

From Anthony’s experience, such pets are great for the mentally disabled, as caring for them can be as simple as feeding these pets at the right time. He recalls the mother of a disabled daughter, who managed to bring some joy and laughter into her daughter’s life by having an aquarium at home.

Won’t the pet be an extra burden?

Caregivers may understandably worry that giving their charge a pet may mean having an extra member of the family to care for.

This is a common misperception, according to Anthony. True, some degree of care may be required, but certain pets, especially dogs, can be trained to require the most minimal care and supervision from other people. Anthony’s dogs are an excellent testament to this. Here are just some examples of the dogs in action:

They are trained to do their “business” in the toilet, making it easier for Anthony to clean up when they are done.

Feeding is not an issue at all to Anthony, who is wheelchair-bound. It is easy, and in fact, feeding his dogs is a “special time” that he cherishes every day.

The older dogs help in keeping the younger pups in line. When an overexcited puppy runs out to play, for instance, an older dog would gently herd the puppy back. All this without any orders from Anthony!

While it may be unrealistic to assume that no care is needed from the caregiver, caring for a pet is usually less strenuous than imagined. Anthony suggests that families of the disabled or the elderly, who are considering a pet for the person, can get in touch with Petpositive to discuss the matter further.

Interested in animal therapy?

If you wish to learn more about animal therapy, you can always drop Anthony an email at petpositive@gmail.com or petpositive@yahoo.com. Petpositive also welcome enquires from people interested in volunteering or offering donations/assistance.

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When Dennis Lau last graced the cover of HealthToday, it was 2008. It was the year when the reformed Spice Girls closed their world tour in Toronto, the last we would see of them in a while; when Leona Lewis’s Bleeding Love was a big hit all over the world, putting her and the show The X-Factor UK on everyone’s radar; and Michael Jackson’s Thriller album turned 25 and was certified as the world’s best-selling album for all time.

I had not joined the staff of HealthToday then and when I read the article as part of my research on Dennis, I saw a clean-cut handsome young man who was beginning to make his mark in the local music scene. His accomplishments at that time included performances for Dato’ Khalid and Dato’ Siti Nurhaliza in celebration of their first wedding anniversary and in festivals including the Penang Island Jazz Festival and Europa Awards Orchestra.

Fast forward to August 27, 2015. Dennis has just finished performing a snippet of his most recent composition, The Journey, for the launch of a new Gillette razor at 1 Utama Shopping Centre, and is getting ready for a well-deserved meal at a nearby deli. His manager Daphne Tan takes his request – a quarter roast chicken and lemonade – and kindly orders a lemonade for little old me as well.

Nodding my thanks, I can only marvel at how different Dennis Lau looks compared to that younger gentleman on the cover of HealthToday back in 2008. I have brought a copy of that magazine; his eyes lights up when he sees it, and Dennis shows it to Daphne and several ladies nearby, “See, this was me! Back in those days!” They can only laugh at his exuberance.

Dennis now sports a fauxhawk, a neatly trimmed moustache and goatee. In suit and tie, he is the picture of elegance, albeit a little tired, although I have seen photos of him in more casual ensembles – tank top, pants – letting things rip on stage with his electric violin. Like his music, Dennis can be quite eclectic. Pop music, easy listening, R&B, electronic dance music (EDM) – he has done it all, dressed the part and, of course, lived the music.

D, for Dennis

Talking to Dennis is a bit of a revelation – he is very easy to talk to, without any pretensions or ego despite his impressive career milestones. He and Daphne share a rapport more akin to that of friends rather than a boss and his employee. Furthermore, he graciously poses for selfies despite looking slightly tired.

He insists on being called Dennis. “Please, call me Dennis.” He thanks me when I tell him that I enjoy watching his YouTube videos and will love to get my hands on his album DiversiFy. For someone who has played for luminaries such as Tun Dr Mahathir, Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton, such a display of down-to-earth humility is unexpected, but welcomed.

D, for deliberation

Dennis’s eclectic taste and style are all sincere and innate, as he was raised in a home where music was cherished. His mother was a piano teacher, and Dennis’s earliest childhood memories include the deliberate piano practice sessions under his mother’s strict supervision.

“It wasn’t entirely a wonderful time back then,” he says with a laugh. As a child, he wanted to rebel against his mother’s strict regime, but he is now glad that his mother saw the potential in him and pushed him to achieve that potential. “She taught me the importance of discipline and hard work,” he muses. His current work ethics are based on the lessons she taught him, and they have helped him reach the place where he is today. He will not change any moment of his childhood.

The piano has been a part of Dennis’s life since age three, and he reached Grade 8 at just 11, one of the youngest Malaysians to do this. On top of a Bachelors of Music degree under the Newcastle Australian Music Degree Program, he also has several diplomas in classical piano, including the ATCL, A.M.U.S.A, Dip ABRSM and LGSM (hons).

Therefore, it can strike one as unusual that, these days, he is more often seen and heard performing on his electric violin, an instrument he first took up when he was eight. Why the violin?

“It is the closest instrument to a voice, I feel,” he reflects. “The violin allows me a flexibility and versatility on stage that I can’t find with the piano.” Of course, he still loves the piano, but it is with the electric violin that he struck out and made his mark on both the local and international musical scene.

D, for diversity

How does one describe Dennis’s music?

“R&B, electronic, pop – these are all just labels,” he says when I ask him the question. “Actually, music sometimes transcends labelling. It is more important for both the performer and listener to be moved by the emotions, the sincerity and the passion in the performance.”

Still, his heart has a special place for R&B music. The late Michael Jackson is one of his inspirations, as evident from his playful tribute to the legend in a video on his YouTube channel. Dennis also has a soft spot for various artists from many genres, although his more recent inspirations come from various collaborations with people who may not necessarily be from the music business.

Dennis tells me that these people bring fresh perspective and a repertoire of ideas that can invigorate a muse that may have become complacent or cynical from being too immersed in the music industry.

D, for developer

Dennis’s opportunities to work with people from both inside and outside the music industry have increased over the recent years, after he established Mosaic Music Entertainment, a musical boutique company that offers a platform for diverse, innovative musicians to both find an audience and perfect their craft as well as entertainment packages for those interested in experiencing some of the best live performances in town.

For Dennis, Mosaic is not just a business – it is his way of giving back to the music industry. Furthermore, he seems to have found his newest calling in life by mentoring promising young talents such as the crooner Michael Leaner and the young talent Abigail Chew.

D, for destiny

So, what is next for Dennis?

He tells me he will be releasing another album by the end of this year, although the distribution of physical copies is still being worked on. For people who prefer digital music, he also intends to put the album on iTunes. Also later this year, he plans to go on tour. “It will be something like the David Foster and Friends tour,” he tells me, referring to the legendary American composer’s recent international tour. Given that Dennis has worked with artists such as Sheila Majid, Francissca Peter and Dato’ Siti Nurhaliza, the line-up should be interesting.

Is there anyone he would like to work with? “Usher,” he says without hesitation. Given that the American R&B vocalist had recently provided vocals for big hits by EDM producers Martin Garrix and David Guetta, and given Dennis’s own EDM involvement, who knows, maybe that dream is not as far-fetched as it seems!

5 impressive things about Dennis Lau

1. He has won many awards. Just some recent ones:
   • Global Music Entrepreneur Icon of the Year Award (Masterclass Category) from McMillan Woods Global Awards.
   • Icon in Contemporary Instrumental Music 2015 from McMillan Woods Global Awards.
   • The Brand Laureate Grand Master Brand Icon Leadership Award 2014.
   • ASEAN Leading Violinist Performer 2014 from the ASEAN Retail Chains & Franchise Federation (ARFF).
   • Rising Star Awards Outstanding Performance Artiste of the Year 2013 from McMillan Woods Global Awards.
2. Aside from creating dazzling interpretations of famous hits, Dennis has released several albums.
   • DiversiFy (2009) – winner of the Best Producer award at the VIMA 2009.
   • The Malaysian Journey – a collaboration with Jabatan Kementerian Kesenian Negara (JKKN) and various local artists.
3. He has appeared in movies too, such as Nasi Lemak 2.0 and Hantu Gangster. Also, Mosaic has a movie production arm, with some impressive productions to its name.
4. He has a really cool YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/dennislautv – a great place to get a sampling of his music (and you should, especially if you are a fan of Sam Tsui, Lindsay Sterling and the like).
5. He also has a cool website at www.dennislau.com.my, with links to his many social media accounts as well as recent news and updates.

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Giuliana Rancic is rarely away from the American small screen. For the last 10 years, she co-hosted E! News and Fashion Police. Of course, she was more than just a host – she starred in a reality TV series with her husband Bill, started her own fashion line, and dabbled in acting and producing TV shows.

In 2011, she made headlines for a more sober reason: she was diagnosed with breast cancer. In her latest autobiography Going Off Script: How I Survived a Crazy Childhood, Cancer, and Clooney’s 32 On-Screen Rejections (published in early 2015), she revealed that prior to her diagnosis, she and her husband Bill were struggling to conceive. She was about to undergo a third round of in-vitro fertilization when, at her doctor’s request, she took a mammogram. The result floored her; fortunately, the cancer was at an early stage.

She underwent surgery to remove the lumps from both breasts, but she eventually opted for a double mastectomy. “For me it was just more important to get the cancer out. With the double mastectomy I now have less than one per cent chance of getting it back, otherwise it was 20%, 30% or 40% chance and for me, it wasn’t worth it,” she explained.

And she went back to work just two weeks after her surgery. “Some people said how brave I was to go back to work so soon, but it wasn’t about being brave,” Rancic told the Los Angeles Times in a recent interview. “I wanted to stay busy, so I wasn’t focusing on [my cancer]. When I went back to work, I felt so much better after getting hair and makeup done. I was able to look in the mirror and see the girl I knew before my surgery.”

As a breast cancer survivor, Rancic now pays it forward to her fellow survivors and breast cancer patients in her own special way. Partnering with The Pink Agenda, she founded the Fab-U-Wish foundation, which grants breast cancer patients opportunities to feel good about themselves through free makeovers, beauty treatments and more.

Rancic recalled proudly how they flew in to Los Angeles a Marine stationed in Afghanistan, who had lost all her hair after chemo. “She wanted to feel like a princess, as she felt that she was losing her femininity along with her hair,” Rancic shared, “so we flew her and her sister in for a mani/pedi.” To date, about two dozen breast cancer patients had received special moments to remember from Fab-U-Wish.

At the end of the day, TV host and passionate advocate Rancic is also a content mother and happy wife. One can say that, despite the adversities life has thrown her way, Giuliana Rancic is writing her own script for a happily ever after. 

References:

CBS News. Available at http://www.cbsnews.com

E! Online. Available at http://www.eonline.com

Los Angeles Times. Available at http://www.latimes.com

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There are not many celebrities who are recognizable merely by their first names but Hollywood actor Tom Cruise is an exception. Just mention his first name in a conversation and the chances are that your friends will go, “Oh, you mean Tom Cruise? The latest Mission: Impossible film was pretty awesome. You should check it out.”

Cruise, now 53 years old (yes, he is already in his fifties as unbelievable as it may be) has been a household name for nearly 30 years – and his stardom does not seem to waning anytime soon. If anything, it is only growing brighter with every blockbuster he puts out. People need not look any further than at his most recent movie offering for proof.

The fifth installment to the Mission: Impossible franchise, Mission: Impossible- Rogue Nation has grossed over 370 million dollars to date, more than double of its 150 million-dollar budget while receiving rave reviews from initially cynical critics. One popular film review website was even quoted as saying: “MI: 5 continues the franchise’s thrilling resurgence – and proves that Tom Cruise remains an action star without equal.” In a time and age where movie stars are getting younger and younger, Cruise is holding his own real well. Not bad for someone in his fifties – and especially not bad for someone who once struggled with something as seemingly simple as reading and writing.

The dyslexic behind the actor

Most of us know Tom Cruise the actor but not many know him as Tom Cruise the
“functional illiterate” – or so he described himself in an interview with People magazine. Having inherited dyslexia (a specific learning difficulty mainly affecting skills involved in the spelling and reading of words) from his mother, Cruise remembers how difficult it was for him during his schooling years.

“I couldn’t remember what I read or wrote. I’d try to focus on what I was reading but when I got the end of the page, I’d have very little memory of anything I’d just read. I’d blank out and feel frustrated, bored, nervous, angry and dumb all at once. It came to the point where I was so stressed that my legs and head would actually hurt whenever I studied,” he recalls. But lagging behind in class was not the only worry his younger self had; hiding his dyslexia from his classmates also became a priority. “I didn’t want the other children to know about my learning disability. I constantly felt like I had a secret.”

Trouble at home

As if struggling with dyslexia was not enough, Cruise had to deal with bullying at school. His father who was an electrical engineer by profession was always on the lookout for jobs – and that meant lots of travelling. As a result of the constant moving around, Cruise’s family never settled down in one place for long. “By the time I was 14 years old, I had been to as many as 15 schools. And I was bullied very often. My heart would be pounding and I’d feel like throwing up whenever the bullies came near.” As anxious as he felt, he tried standing up for himself. “I wasn’t the biggest guy, I never liked hitting people but I knew if I didn’t defend myself, they were going to pick on me all year.”

Tom may have stood up to bullies as best as he could but defending himself against his father was a whole other story. “I was frequently abused by my father. He was this merchant of chaos. If something went wrong, he’d kick me. He was the kind of guy to lull you in, make you feel safe and then, ‘bang!’ He was a bully and a coward,” Cruise divulges. “I learned to be careful around him. I didn’t trust him.” The abuse lasted till he was 12 when his mother decided enough was enough. She filed for divorce and was given custody of Cruise and his three older sisters.

“You’ve got potential”

Being the sole breadwinner now that Cruise’s father was out of the picture, his mother had to work three jobs to make ends meet. However, she still managed to carve out time for her son. “Despite everything on her plate, my mum would help me with my studies. If I had a writing assignment, I’d dictate it to her first. She’d then write it down and I’d copy it extremely carefully.” Cruise still clearly remembers his mother’s advice to him. “She always said ‘You’ve got so much potential. Don’t give up’. She’d encourage me to do the things I was good at.” And one of those things was acting.

“Because of dyslexia, I wasn’t great at school. So, I dabbled in other things like sports and drama. I’d often imitate people to get some laughs. But I started taking acting seriously in 4th grade. Some boys and I put on an improvised play to music at my elementary school drama festival. The drama organizers loved it! That was when I discovered I could be good at something.” With that new-found realization, he began channeling all his efforts into acting. The rest, as we know it is history.

Not impossible, after all

These days, Cruise is doing what he can to help kids who face the same struggle as he once did. A founding member of the Hollywood Education and Literacy Project (H.E.L.P.), he hopes that dyslexic children will not have to experience what he went through. “Through this non-profit program, I want kids to be able to write, read, understand what people are saying to them and to solve problems. When I was a kid, I didn’t have the tools to help me. So, I hope to help others like me.”

“Being diagnosed with dyslexia isn’t the end. It’s about how you cope with it,” Cruise stresses. “Every time I start working on a film, I still get nervous. But I remind myself that when faced with problems, I can either sink or swim. I choose to swim.” Now that’s one mission, accomplished.

References:

1. Being Dyslexic. Available at www.beingdyslexic.co.uk
2. Dyslexia Consultants.com. Available at www.dyslexiaconsultants.com
3. Dyslexia Help. Available at www.dyslexiahelp.umich.edu
4. People. Available at www.people.com

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