An inspirational teenage black belt in karate (Vilis Forstmanis) has been determined not to give up his sport despite battling against cancer.
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00:00 Hi, so we're here today to talk to this young man and he's going to tell us his incredible
00:05 story.
00:06 So first of all, can you tell me your name and how old you are?
00:09 My name is Willis Worsmanis and I am 14 years old.
00:14 14, and when did you start training in a karate club, Willis?
00:18 I'm pretty sure I started training around like maybe 8, 7 years ago.
00:23 And was that with Jelena?
00:25 Yes, I started with Jelena.
00:30 I started only because my friends, they were there, so I got in because I wanted to be
00:35 with my friends in the same group, have fun.
00:38 And then shortly later they left, but I stayed because my mom kind of kept me in it, but
00:43 then I started to enjoy it.
00:45 I found it fun, it was entertaining.
00:49 Also all the work, I was thinking, yeah, it's fun, it's nice.
00:53 I really enjoyed karate, so I just stayed in it.
00:56 Fantastic, and I see that you're wearing a black belt there.
00:59 Can you tell us what that means?
01:01 Well, it means basically I've been working for a long time, I've passed many gradings,
01:10 I've gone to maybe a lot of competitions.
01:17 It doesn't always happen to be like competitions.
01:20 Many people get their black belts without going to a single one, but I've gone to many
01:24 and it means that I've worked really hard for this and I guess I've earned it.
01:30 You certainly have.
01:32 And I hear that you've had some challenges over the last little while.
01:38 You haven't been well, can you tell us about that?
01:40 Yeah, so I've had some, I used to have headaches and stuff, but no one knew why.
01:46 I also felt weak and bad sometimes.
01:50 Then right after I went to the commonwealth games, I got diagnosed with cancer and leukemia
02:00 and then I had to go to hospital.
02:03 Then I had chemotherapy, my hair went off, but luckily I have very good friends,
02:09 karate family, family, and a lot of people who were there to support me.
02:15 I'm very grateful for everyone that has supported me through my journey
02:19 and I am very happy about it.
02:22 And you're on the road to recovery now.
02:24 Yeah.
02:25 And Dalina has shown us some footage of you training when you were in hospital.
02:29 Yeah, although I was sick and stuff, I still had some drive to keep going with karate.
02:37 It just kept me going I guess.
02:39 I just really wanted to get back to it because all my friends were there,
02:43 they supported me, I wanted to support them back I guess by training,
02:47 to work with them, and to help them out maybe, to help myself also,
02:52 my body, because karate is a good exercise and it can help me recover faster,
02:58 it can help me, just trying not to overdo it obviously.
03:02 Sure.
03:03 And I've seen that just recently you've come back to the classes again.
03:07 How does that feel?
03:08 It feels really great actually.
03:11 Although I am sometimes tired and I feel sometimes weak,
03:17 but I sometimes just take a rest, but then sometimes I come back
03:22 and then I could work and train again, just training my arms.
03:27 My legs are getting slowly better.
03:29 I have physiotherapy every Wednesday so I go there.
03:33 Because shortly after, there was an incident where my heart stopped
03:39 and then I was in a coma and then I was sent to Edinburgh with a helicopter
03:46 and then I was sent back and I couldn't walk after the chemotherapy and stuff.
03:51 After all that, I was--if I tried to walk, it felt like my feet were raw,
03:56 like there was no skin on it and it really hurt.
03:59 Basically I was crying and walking, just walking through all the pain,
04:05 just trying my hardest not to let it take over me,
04:09 and I worked and worked and walked and walked.
04:14 My mom had to carry me in her arms to the bathroom, to anywhere I had to go
04:23 because I couldn't walk myself.
04:25 But then I kept walking and walking, and once I got better,
04:28 I started doing karate.
04:30 I could stand for a while, but my legs were really weak
04:34 and I would fall over many times, hurt myself sometimes.
04:37 But then I tried to be more calm, careful, and yeah.
04:44 So you've come a long way.
04:46 And do you think the karate has helped with that,
04:49 with your strength of mind as well as your strength of body?
04:53 Yeah, because sometimes I was in the hospital, I was asleep,
04:56 and I would throw some punches for some reason.
04:59 I was just dreaming about karate.
05:02 I was punching the nurse once because she was coming up,
05:05 doing my observations, checking my pulse, and I was sleeping,
05:08 and I just went like that, and I punched her in the face.
05:12 Yeah, but it really--something was there from karate which really helped me,
05:18 and I really enjoyed it, I guess, too.
05:20 That's brilliant.
05:21 And I'm seeing that you're in a wheelchair at the moment
05:23 because you're still regaining the strength in your legs.
05:26 So does that mean that you're not able to compete now,
05:28 or what's the story with that?
05:30 I can compete in the paras, which I will.
05:33 So for now I'll compete in the para-karate,
05:37 and para-fighting and stuff like that, maybe fighting.
05:42 But then when I recover, I will go back to normal,
05:45 and I will start normal competition.
05:47 So you're a para-athlete at the moment.
05:49 Yes.
05:50 And I believe you've got a competition on the 25th of November
05:54 down in Motherwell.
05:55 Yeah.
05:56 Oh, fantastic.
05:57 We'll all be rooting for you when you go to that one,
05:59 and we'll see how you get on.
06:00 So are you able to tell us a little bit about what's going on here today,
06:03 Belys, what's all this about?
06:05 Well, we're here all gathered together to get some fundraising for Cash for Kids
06:11 and to show everyone how karate is really actually good for you,
06:18 especially for me because I'm kind of proof because I'm in a wheelchair,
06:22 but I can still do it, so anyone can do it.
06:25 I've been through a lot, but I've still carried on, and I'm getting stronger.
06:29 And karate can really help you for self-defense or if anyone's like rude
06:35 because right now a lot of people in school are a bit rude and mean and stuff,
06:40 but if you know karate, you could probably just stay safe.
06:45 Sure.
06:46 So it helps you in lots of different ways.
06:48 And this MFR Cash for Kids competition that we're in at the moment,
06:53 I think it's--we had a month, didn't we, from the 16th of September to the 16th of October,
07:01 and we were one of five clubs in Inverness who were given the opportunity
07:06 to raise as much money as we could within those four weeks,
07:09 and then the winner, the person that raises the most money, gets £5,000 for their club.
07:15 So we're working really hard just now to try and get some money for our club,
07:20 our Kinch Karate Club.
07:22 It would really help because going to competitions, it costs a lot.
07:25 Rent in a hotel costs a lot, and the amount of people--because some clubs, karate clubs,
07:31 it's like the trainers go down, but the people have to pay themselves.
07:36 But our karate club, our senseis provide us with the needed stuff like hotels, food,
07:45 stuff like that, travel.
07:47 They provide us with all of that because if you don't have a car,
07:49 how are you going to get down there?
07:50 A bus, train, you're going to need that, but they're there to provide it for you,
07:55 and they can really help, but that's why we need money to help all of us.
08:01 All this money goes to everyone, to the karate club, to everyone, so we're all a team.
08:07 We are a team, and we're a great team.
08:09 It was so lovely to talk to you today, Villis.
08:11 Good luck with your fundraising.
08:12 I'm going to go and get a pad and a pen, and I'm just going to take down some details
08:16 like how you spell your name and when you became poorly and things like that
08:20 so we've got some dates.
08:22 Thank you so much. Take care. Bye-bye.
08:24 Bye!
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