Chris's Cancer Community

Travel Insurance From A Cancer Patient Perspective

Chris On June 25, 2018 / cancer, Cancer Support, cancer survival / 12 Comments

As a long term cancer patient myself, I have found so much discrimination against me. From banks to employers and insurance, particularly travel insurance! I used to travel for a living and it was something I wanted to continue, when I was well enough.Like everything connected with cancer, finding travel insurance is not at all straight forward. So I would like to talk about some of the things I have learned, which may help you to find clarity in this particular minefield. How do you choose your policy? Is it based on price, through a comparison website or recommendation? Do you wish to include your cancer or remove all pre-existing conditions? What a drama you might think, and I agree totally! Many of us are completely priced out of travelling

How Much Should A Patient Be Told?

Chris On June 10, 2018 / cancer awareness, Cancer Support, cancer survival, cancer treatment / 15 Comments

We are very much a global community now, and the Internet has made the world a much smaller place. There are very few secrets these days, and if you really want some information, the chances are that you will be able to find it. Most advice from medical professionals is still “don’t look on the Internet.” I understand of course why that is said, as you can soon be part of ‘the worried well’ if you took to your computer every time you felt under the weather. But I am concerned what is happening now, regarding cancer treatment for complex cases in the UK. Of course, you can only offer treatment that is at your disposal, and this is where I believe we need to change drastically, for many cancer

This Is A Cancer Scandal Happening Daily, Why?

Chris On May 27, 2018 / cancer awareness, cancer charities, Cancer Support, cancer survival, cancer treatment / 11 Comments

This week I wanted to share this story written by Rohan Silva in the Evening Standard. It echoes exactly my own experiences with NHS AND giant cancer charities. There are so many people out there with incredibly innovative ideas that cost little to implement but the doors are shut in our face. Why is that when we all know how poor cancer services are in the UK. My experience is that this is much worse than what is portrayed in this article and is a scandal in the making!! “It’s always great to come across a man — or a woman — on a mission. Michael Seres is one of those people. When he was 12 he was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, an incurable bowel condition, and his health sadly

Why It’s Time To Pout For A Purpose!

Chris On May 24, 2018 / cancer awareness, cancer charities, Cancer Support, cancer survival, cancer treatment / Leave a comment

It is a great honour for me to host the below blog. It is exclusively written by the wonderful Athena Lamnisos CEO of the Eve Appeal who do such incredible work. I am always happy to get involved with these guys as they are a small but very impactful charity. Collaboration means a lot to us both, and I have been involved throughout the month with their #GetLippy campaign. In this piece Athena tells us more. “The history of the instantly recognisable pink ribbon is an interesting one. The idea came from a grassroots campaign led by a breast cancer activist, who wanted a symbol to highlight the issue that a mere 5% of the United States’ National Cancer Institute budget (of $1.8 billion) was dedicated to cancer prevention. That

We Are Stuck On The Cancer Care Roundabout!

Chris On May 20, 2018 / cancer awareness, cancer charities, Cancer Support, cancer survival, cancer treatment / 5 Comments

When I ask my friends how their work is going the most popular response is “same s..t different day!” Working in the area of cancer support, I now experience that. The people are wonderful, so no problems there but when talking to those who are well paid to find solutions in the sector, I am hit by a terrible feeling of deja vu. Professional conferences that cost a lot of money, all take a very similar format. Guest speakers, PowerPoint slides showing that things will be better in the future. There are generally very few patients invited to attend, who are then made to feel grateful for what they receive, from whichever organisation is running it. Every year we are promised things will be better. The analogy I can use

Does The Cancer World NEED The ‘Fear Factor’ For Income?

Chris On May 13, 2018 / cancer awareness, cancer charities, Cancer Support, cancer survival, cancer treatment / 12 Comments

During my visit to Palestine, the one very shocking thing that I quickly became aware of, was that everyone I met thought their cancer was a death sentence. This is something that has followed down the generations and will take a long time to change. But the facts are quite different from that. Naturally there are many issues there that make things difficult, but so many more of us are living with cancer, than dying of it. Obviously the earlier the disease is detected the better chance of survival we have. I have come from the generation where cancer (The Big C) as it was known was certainly not discussed openly in my family. My Dad died of bowel cancer and my Mum had breast cancer and survived for more

Sharing Cancer Experiences In Jerusalem And Palestine

Chris On April 29, 2018 / cancer awareness, cancer charities, Cancer Support, cancer survival, cancer treatment / 4 Comments

Cancer has taken so much from me, and on many occasions I couldn’t see what the ‘new me’ could give to the world. Lacking so many of the ‘ingredients’ that made up the ‘old me,’ I struggled to find any enthusiasm to carry on. But now I find myself at the centre of the incredible changes that are happening in the cancer world. Patients are finding their voice and finally healthcare is listening. This is not just in the UK but across the world. Innovation is happening quickly and it seems like the clunky corporates are being replaced with caring community organisations, as it is finally seen that a large one size fits all approach is no longer appropriate. I have just returned from a trip to Palestine and Jerusalem,

“Is My Work Still Relevant?”

Chris On April 8, 2018 / cancer awareness, Cancer Support, cancer survival, cancer treatment / 9 Comments

Having always worked in a fast moving business I understand the importance of remaining ‘relevant.’ You are only as good as your last deal! If you don’t keep your work innovative you will quickly be lost. As I find myself now in the business of cancer, this is even more important. With social media available to everyone, and blogging being very common amongst people affected by cancer, I find myself asking that question now. My website has been going for nearly seven years now, and I do try to ensure that my subject matter is fresh, but the format has changed little. It is as good as it can be, I worried that this might be stale now, particularly with many fab bloggers/vloggers and the like entering the market. I