Archive for the cancer survival Category

Why We Must Put Cancer On The Curriculum!

Chris On September 9, 2018 / cancer awareness, cancer charities, Cancer Support, cancer survival, cancer treatment / 2 Comments

As you may know it is Gynaecological Cancer Awareness Month and I am delighted to feature a blog written by a young lady who wanted to tell us about her perspective and why she, like many of us believe that cancer should be a subject which is openly discussed during education. Obviously this is written from the female perspective but I believe it is important for all children to understand more about cancer, which has become the ‘modern day plague.’ “The results are in, and Eve Appeal-commissioned research has found that two thirds of parents want their children to receive a formal education regarding the signs and symptoms of cancer. The majority of participants believed that fostering open, informative conversations about cancer in the classroom could help combat associated stigmas

It’s Time For Some Big Changes!

Chris On September 4, 2018 / cancer awareness, cancer charities, Cancer Support, cancer survival, cancer treatment / 2 Comments

Now I know that I am getting old, when I say “where has that time gone?” This blog has been running for more than six years! It doesn’t feel like it as I love writing and sharing experiences, but so much has happened to me in that time. Starting this blog is one of the most life changing things that I have ever done. With encouragement from my mentor, the incredible Christina Lattimer who helped me to create a website with all the techie stuff, we now have an incredible brand known around the world, and is my 24/7 shop window. When I started, I was sceptical as to who wanted to read my work, and was it worth all the effort I put in? I went for neutral colours

A Cancer Conference That’s Fun?

Chris On September 2, 2018 / cancer awareness, Cancer Support, cancer survival, cancer treatment, Uncategorized / 6 Comments

Attending cancer conferences has become a big part of my life. Usually I am a speaker and rarely attend for the entire conference, but on other occasions I am there as a guest. Hours of watching very clever people reading from a PowerPoint presentation is not my idea of fun. There is only so long you can concentrate on that type of delivery, unless you are fully engaged in the subject. Senior management and clinicians are not always the best people to present as many lack any charisma, and struggle to do their subject justice. Of course cancer is a very difficult subject to talk about, and can be tricky to make it entertaining. I always feel that to make an impact, you really need a good spread of experience

My Story Is All About Hope!

Chris On August 26, 2018 / cancer awareness, cancer charities, Cancer Support, cancer survival, cancer treatment / 24 Comments

This year has been an incredible one for me personally. As the cancer support sector in the UK continues to be dominated by the same organisations, who have little to offer other than fundraising challenges, my focus has turned to the global issues of cancer. I have travelled to places where there is a real determination to improve the lives of people affected by cancer. This despite those countries having nothing like the resources we have, but key to that is the will to improve! My story has become a beacon throughout the world, not only for the work I do, but for the hope I give. As most of you know, my health was so poor that I was given only six months to live, and now I am

What Exactly Is The Role Of Cancer Research UK?

Chris On August 5, 2018 / cancer awareness, cancer charities, Cancer Support, cancer survival, cancer treatment / 8 Comments

My post last week about the charity world received so much feedback and opened up many more questions! I was directed to the below piece about Cancer Research UK, the biggest cancer charity in the UK. Despite the name I have often wondered what they do and how they work, with such an incredibly large budget. I asked around and nobody was really clear. Then I was pointed to the article from Chris Woolams which I have featured below. “Is it just me who thinks that Cancer Research UK is really just a Pharmaceutical company hiding under the pretext of being a cancer charity; a wolf in sheep’s clothing? When we interviewed the Chief Executive a few years back and asked him his aims he answered immediately, “To get more

It’s Still Take, Take, Take, From Many Charities!

Chris On July 29, 2018 / cancer awareness, cancer charities, Cancer Support, cancer survival, cancer treatment / 30 Comments

In the last few weeks I have found myself facing several charities with strange ideas of what collaboration means. They seem to believe it means they tell me about campaigns and I share them through my social media channels! Many of those have vast marketing teams paid very well to do that. From most, I receive little or no sharing at all and only hear from them when they want something. It is quite sad that nothing seems to have changed since I wrote the below post eighteen months ago!! “We are so far only one month in to 2017, and I can say that in terms of my cancer work it has been an incredible start. I have frequently talked and written about the frustrating lack of collaboration in

Work And Breast Cancer, The Uncomfortable Truth!

Chris On July 22, 2018 / cancer awareness, cancer charities, Cancer Support, cancer survival, cancer treatment / 17 Comments

Unfortunately, the future of our cancer care lies with very flaky politicians, fully employed in fighting Brexit. Alongside them are giant healthcare organisations that choose the path of least resistance, attempting to find favour with the individuals in office at the time. Millions gets spent every year by charities to lobby Government for whatever is their campaign at the time. Even today, we are still asking politicians to scrap hospital parking costs! A subject that was being discussed eleven years ago when I was first diagnosed. The reality of the urgent problems is being lost, maybe this is intentional? When I was approached by Dr Dianne Dowling to share her fully researched evidence I was delighted to have the difficult facts to share. This is just a small part of the

The Rapidly Changing Cancer World!

Chris On July 10, 2018 / cancer awareness, Cancer Support, cancer survival, cancer treatment / Leave a comment

I became ill in 2007 when I had just started to use the computer and mobile Internet was something that was more frustrating than useful! During my transplant, I spent six weeks locked away with only a lot of buffering to keep me company. How times have changed, and for the better I believe. The Internet has enabled me to do the work I do, and become a well known name in the global cancer sector. It has enabled me to connect with many clinicians, patients and charities to help share innovation and best practice. One of the most exciting things I have been able to do recently is take up an offer to visit Palestine and Jerusalem. They wanted me to talk about my work and particularly collaboration. They