"Karate kept me going"

Highland News & Media

An inspirational teenage black belt in karate (Vilis Forstmanis) has been determined not to give up his sport despite battling against cancer.

Transcript

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!

08:24 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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