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As most of my friends will tell you I am not really into massive celebrations, unless it is football related! So if I am honest, much as I enjoy the family and friend time of Christmas and the New Year, it never really feels like a time of celebration. I always have the same hope each year, which is that the coming year is an improvement on the previous ones. Of course, it never works like that, and in recent times, I have had some massive highs, followed by some very bad lows, never really quite sure what will happen next! So I am really going to tempt fate now! I am starting to feel positive, and this is usually where things start to go wrong, but I have seen it before, so know what to expect.The only

Today, felt very much like a ‘writing day.’ I am home alone, and it is freezing outside, so just having my computer for company, is normally a recipe for things to flow! However, the phone rang, a pal popped round, and a couple of articles landed in my inbox, so my focus was diverted.But as usual, after reading and chatting for the last few days, my subject matter for this post duly arrived. I am certainly aware of the effects caused by cancer, to my own life and the thousands of other people I have had the great pleasure to have come into contact with, but I then started to look at the bigger picture.My first thoughts were towards our main treatments of cancer, which are surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. In my lifetime,

As I have mentioned in a previous post, I have become very aware of the growing needs for support, on behalf of young people dealing with a cancer diagnosis.I also know from the feedback that I am receiving, that this blog is getting an increasing younger audience now, which is fantastic. Of course, social media is just one part of the story, but it’s importance is growing rapidly. It enables like minded people to be able to communicate, share experiences, and support each other. It is also helping organisations stay in touch, with the people that need them. My experience with this blog has shown how sharing experiences has helped many readers deal with some of their own issues. In fact what we have all found is that writing things down for others to read can be

I have to admit that patience, was never a quality that I had in abundance. I have always been very impatient, and I guess that it is one of the characteristics that drove me on in my life, certainly in my career. Never waiting for things to just happen. Always looking to make the most of any opportunities that came my way.Trying to take control of my life and steer it in the direction that I wanted it to go. Then I got my news! To me, not being well, was having a cold, or at the worst flu. Even then I would still go to work. As far as I was concerned, I had a plan, and a bit of illness wasn’t going to upset it.” How long will I be off

Yes, it’s that time of the year again! The season of goodwill to all men. Parties, presents, drinking,eating, and enjoying ourselves. That’s what it’s all about isn’t it? For most people it is. They might also remember that it is a religious holiday too. But unfortunately, cancer doesn’t take any time off, and continues it’s relentless progress, celebration time or not. I am experiencing at first hand, the pressure that patients can feel over the festive season. The difficulty of doctors and staff being away. Ensuring that you have enough medication to see you through the period.Worrying about what will happen if you do get sick, over this period. The hospital with far less staff than normal, if you do. However, this time is a particularly poignant time for me.

Like most of us, when I was younger, I was encouraged to make a ‘life route map.’ This was a path that I was to follow, which would take me into a career, find me a wife, produce 2.4 children, buy me a house, and ease me into my retirement, where my golden pension would help me live happily ever after. Well, either my planning was no good, or I was useless at map reading! I am currently 56, haven’t worked for nearly 6 years, and am definitely not looking at a golden pension. My path started off quite well, and I fell into a career, but that is where it all started to go wrong. It wasn’t the right one! It then felt like I had totally lost my way, no