A letter to my body (5 years after Hodgkins Lymphoma).

There was a time I felt you'd let me down and that I couldn't trust you, but then you made miracles happen. Six years ago I discovered a lump in my neck. I thought it was just my glands... Maybe I had an infection. Turned out I had Stage 2 Hodgkin Lymphoma. I underwent four months of chemo and came out cured but broken, mentally and physically. I had post traumatic stress and later experienced panic attacks. Steroids and stress resulted in me ballooning in size. I sported a scar on my neck and arm that I hated to look at and my hair was thin and lack lustre. I'd lost confidence in you. Fast forward five years and I have two beautiful babies, thanks to you my miraculous body!

5 Years: Cancer free...
& look who's with me at the appointment!

I wasn't exactly confident in my reproductive abilities in the lead up to chemo. My consultant seemed relaxed about my chances but I heard of someone else in another part of the country having her eggs frozen,even though she was having the same treatment for the same condition as me. Well at my five years in remission check up I was able to take my twins and thank Dr Kanfer for being right that all would be OK.

It's not so much a happy ending as a new beginning filled with new challenges. And you, my lovely body have a map of our adventures together. In the crease below my tummy a line runs along where the wonderful surgeons lifted my beautiful twins from their home of nearly 9 months. My tummy is covered with stretch mark upon stretch mark created from holding my two babies to term. My breasts are a slightly different shape after providing some milk for three and a half months for two hungry mouths and I still sport a scar on my neck and arm from my brush with Hodgkins. Those scars that I found upsetting for a while are now my battle wounds joining the new ones that I am deeply proud of. They have prepared me in ways I never thought possible for this new stage in life. Some of the lessons I learnt from being a patient in hospital, listening to my body, dealing with needles better and taking each challenge with a level of humour and hope were all helpful in pregnancy. So body, thank you. I may have doubted you at times but you have done amazing things for me. May the future keep bringing healing your way and help me and my babies little bodies grow stronger each day. May all those other bodies in the world, dealing with their own challenges be granted the same!

A really exciting project! Vanley Burke and how the contents of his flat may end up in the Ikon Gallery

Getting to make films about interesting stories is a great job. But getting to make a film about something that catches your heart and imagination makes me feel like I have the best job in the world! 

I know I often share my projects but I cannot express how much you should watch this. Vanley Burke is a renowned photographer and keen collector, specialising in the African Carribean community around Birmingham. He's a fascinating guy and the Ikon Gallery are planning to move everything in his flat into their Gallery. I hope this project will go ahead and I am keeping my fingers crossed that I'll get to be part of following his ongoing and fascinating story. It's not surprising that after visiting Vanley's home and hearing some of his music compilations all three of our film team have invested in the project through Art Happens and are eagerly awaiting a future Vanley Burke mix CD. 

Any of you music lovers, photography appreciators, archive curious, West Midland residents, history buffs, or just plain curious in exciting events please check out Vanley's story: http://www.artfund.org/get-involved/art-happens/at-home-with-vanley-burke If you like what you see please do contribute and spread the word. It’s a chance to be part of something very special. 

Thank you. x

For telling a guy in a club who groped her... - #nomakeupselfie Part 2

When a Jeanne Marie got groped in a club and told the guy it was inappropriate... this was the result:

https://twitter.com/damnfewofusleft/status/448110526015369216/photo/1

She was beaten up. But instead of letting her aggressor win she made a stand with this #nomakeupselfie

https://twitter.com/damnfewofusleft/status/448110526015369216/photo/1

On Facebook she said this:

"i am sorry cancer research, but my ‪#‎nomakeupselfie‬ is for a different cause:

for telling a guy in a club who groped me that it is completely inappropriate to touch a woman without her consent, i was beaten. he told me to "Smile!", too. (www.stoptellingwomentosmile.com)

no, we do not have to wear makeup
no, we do not have to smile
and, most importantly,
no, we do NOT have to be touched.

i'm trying to channel my rage into something constructive, so i'm raising money for the Oxford Sexual Abuse and Rape Crisis Centre (OSARCC). please text OXRC47 £3 to 70070 to donate £3 (or OXRC47 £1 for £1 or OXRC47 £10 for £10, etc.). if you're not in the UK (or don't want to text) please visit my justgiving page to donate here: http://www.justgiving.com/jeanne-marie. feel free to share this post, as well.

thanks, friends. sometimes you just have to make the best out of a broken nose, right?"

I think most women have experienced some sort of sexual harassment. I am sad to say that from that from far too early an age onwards I have. By my teens I was enraged by it and have made a stand on many occasion. But the fact that this young woman has made such a public stand is heartening and inspiring.

It frustrates me that some men feel that they can touch a woman without her consent. It absolutely enrages me that they can inflict such damage when someone like Jeanne Marie says no. I hope others will feel inspired to stand up against such abuse, and I hope onlookers will be inspired to stand up and protect such brave women. 

Well done Jeanne Marie. I hope you heal and remain strong.

Bright sunny days, cold beers and a bit of brass!

What's more lovely in Summer than to sit outside on a hot day, listening to free gigs on our nations beautiful bandstands! Here's a little film to keep the sunshine glowing bright, care of the wonderful and very talented Onyx Brass... Oh, and I might have had a hand in making what you are about to see. 

Onyx on stage... me on camera.
Photo: Nicky Thomas Media

Onyx Brass are touring the UK from today, playing free gigs in bandstands. London will feature on their schedule in May and June but any of you in Glasgow can see them playing today. 

Never work with children or animals...
unless they appreciate your efforts that is!
Photo: Nicky Thomas Media

Tour de Brass will also be bringing cheer and dulcet brass tones to bandstands across East Anglia, the South West, the North East, the North West and another date in Glasgow. 



I would highly recommend checking them out! ... even if I have been listening to one of their tunes on loop whilst editing the video... I still love their sound! ... in fact I'm humming it now ;)




22 March - Glasgow:
David Sawer - WORLD PREMIERE

18 May - East Anglia:
Ludham Festival, Great Yarmouth, Bury St Edmunds Festival

20 May - London:
Victoria Embankment Gardens, Hyde Park Bandstand

28-30 June - South West:
Beaminster Festival, Devon, Somerset, Dorset

5 July - London:
Southbank Centre Festival

12-13 July - North East:
Durham Brass Festival, Superact's "Our Big Gig", Durham County, Miner's Gala, Auckland Castle, Barnard Castle

2 August - Glasgow:
Commonwealth Games Cultural Festival

7 September - North West:
Liverpool, Widnes, Chester

#nomakeupselfie?! Really?!

I must admit that when the nomakeupselfie hashtag started cropping up in my social media feeds I was a bit sceptical. 

My initial thought was "Really?! How on earth is this going to help cancer awareness in any way?!". And apologies, but it just seemed a bit vain. 

So my response to being tagged was to side step the selfie and post with this:

#nomakeupselfie? How about donating to a cancer charity?

I suggested three fantastic charities:

• Maggie's Cancer Care Centres: https://www.maggiescentres.org/how-you-can-help/ways-give/
• Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research: http://leukaemialymphomaresearch.org.uk/give
• Cancer Research: https://donate.cancerresearchuk.org/donate.asp?id=1407&amount=2&frequency=R&p=2

Thankfully others had the same idea and before long people were actually truly raising money for charity, as well as awareness. In fact Cancer Research has reported receiving over 1 million pounds in charitable donations since this current selfie craze!

Despite this, I still can't get over the slightly self validating feeling of it all... and don't get me wrong... I posted all about my experiences of cancer on social networks. For some, that may have felt like over-sharing, others may now be thinking "pot, kettle, black".  Plus, I'm not exactly shy about posting photos of myself online. However, I have never been a big fan of the those chain letters guilting you into not breaking the chain... and this feels a bit like that. Plus the expectation of responses of "oh honey, you are a natural beauty" is just a bit too cringe for me.

I think my friend Ali had the best and most memorable post with this:

 "Here's my no make up selfie. I know, shushhhh...I'm just SO blessed"

Haha. Brilliant!

Now whilst I'm still not that keen on uploading a "selfie" for cancer awareness, I respect those that do. You have all done a great job of genuinely raising money and awareness, despite my initial scepticism. So here's my compromise, a photo, not taken by me, without a scratch up of makeup... I was just too busy to even think about mascara... But hush, no affirmations. Thanks ;)

Maybe it's just me but...

I can only imagine that a man designed this Chrysler ad aimed at women! Ok, so I'm not adverse to spending money on clothes, makeup, hair and other products but this feels a little bit patronising and vacous! 
"Hey women, all you're interested in is looking good for your man... forget that... he'll be so much more interested in you if you go for this car... anyway, it's not about the car is it,  because all you women really care about is that it's red!"

Today, someone did something very kind for me...

Today, someone did something very kind for me.
  Here in London... 
    the big city with over 3 million people! How often does any one member of this bulging society pay a stranger a bit of attention?! Can you remember the last time you did something nice for another person in the 'Big Smoke'?

Londoners have a reputation for being unfriendly. Not surprising when you consider that many visitors' first impressions of the residents of this great city are made during encounters on public transport. The long, expensive and overly busy daily commutes are hardly conducive to a friendly atmosphere! 

I have to say that I have generally found London to be very friendly place. OK, so getting to know your neighbours isn't often high on many people's agenda here. And yes, the Northern Line at Rush Hour is not fun when many of it's passengers use their elbows like a crowbar to shimmy their way onto those already over packed trains. However, I've witnessed many a kindness as well. Today, for instance an older lady was offered a seat twice on the Jubilee line (the second person not hearing that she was getting off at the next stop). 

The destination that I was headed for is also a good example of London at it's best. The members of Cecil Sharp House Choir, which I have been part of for many years have become a mini community who perform many acts of kindness for each other. It's not unusual for one of the 60 or so people who attend every Wednesday to bring some fruit or vegetables that they have grown for others to enjoy. A couple of members voluntarily arrange refreshments for the group each week, someone brought home baked flapjacks today and that is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of how those wonderful people have helped to make each others lives that little bit better. But I still haven't got on to the main kindness that prompted me to write today's blog.

After a long day I stumbled home. The route is not great by public transport as it takes double the time cycling or driving should take. When I decided that walking all the way was a bit ambitious in my current state I decided to hail a cab and see how far the £5.50 in my purse would get me. Being a bit skint at the moment I planned to walk the rest. So, it was such a nice surprise when the taxi driver said that his job was to make sure I got home safely. It's not like a live in a dodgy area either. I had reassured him that I felt safe but bless hime he drove me all the way to my road. It's not even like I am a young girl trying to get home on meagre pocket money. He had already made his mind up to drive me the distance before I said I was having a tight month. I thanked him profusely and he was so modest. What he did for me meant so much not just because he helped me out but because his act of kindness made a big impression on me. I hope I remember his name correctly, because I'd like to thank Sharab, the taxi driver. Thank you for getting me home safely. Thank you for your kindness. Thank you for reminding me how people do care here in London. You have earnt some karma... not that you sought it. You talked of the importance of society and I agree. It's an important thing. So for anyone reading this: I appeal for you to do something nice for a stranger, acquaintance, friend or family. Let's get that community spirit going and make someone else's day. Let's pass that karma from Camden to Paddington, from Canning Town to London Bridge, from Walthamstow to Wandsworth... Offer a seat; a hand carrying some shopping; a simple smile may be enough. Of course, there is so much more that we can do. Let's get that sense of community spirit being felt all around our capital city!

Get into the festive spirit and give to charity...

If anyone is looking for a charitable cause to donate to over Christmas please consider Maggie's Cancer Care Centres. They provide valuable support to people living with cancer. I have experienced what an amazing job they do (as I wrote in this old blog post): http://katzcam.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/where-now.html

They and Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research are my two charities of choice this festive season.

Maggie's: http://www.maggiescentres.org/maggies/maggiescentres/home/donate/donate1.html
Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research: https://leukaemialymphomaresearch.org.uk/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&id=5

My experience of skydiving from 16,500 feet and living to tell the tale ;)

Back on Terra Firma in the UK and looking at the grey skies of Winter I have been trying to relive my experiences. So I thought I'd tell you about one of my most joyous memories... Skydiving!

In April this year I took a trip to New Zealand. Deciding  to play it by ear and see what happened I turned up in Christchurch without a plan. As I walked around I was shocked to see how badly the city was still affected by the earthquake and hoped I hadn’t made a terrible mistake by not planning my trip better! The next day I managed to book a coach travelling around the South Island and I was off. Straight away we were asked whether we wanted to do a tandem sky dive. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to try something I’d always wanted to do. So without much time to back out I was kitted up and making my way up into the sky.

 Heart pounding and nearing the dropzone I was shuffled to the edge of the doorway and out I went. I can honestly say that I have never experienced anything like it! The force of air wooshing up my nose, the adrenaline coursing through my veins and the utter shock that I was freefalling at 16,500 feet stopped all thoughts for a minute except ‘Ahhhhhhhhh!’ Then my brain seemed to catch up with a wave of panic and then ‘woweee!’ Not exactly my most eloquent thought process! I’d love to do it again, maybe even go solo because when the parachute goes up and the free fall is over I just thought what an incredible experience it was. A couple of years ago I had Hodgkin Lymphoma, a form of blood cancer and at that moment of floating through the air looking down at the beautiful landscape of Abel Tasman I just wanted to shout ‘I have survived!’ I had so much to be thankful and happy for and I felt utterly elated!

Click here for the video evidence!

Down in the basement of The British Library lies a very special place for the media geeks among us!

A few weeks ago I received a very interesting request through a tweet. Would I agree to share my experiences of cancer for an archive run by Wellcome's Oral History of Medicine? So I headed to The British Library and lent my voice for just over an hour. It was pretty cathartic if not a bit emotional to be recounting my experiences with my lovely interviewer Catriona. In many ways I have tried to put a line under my cancer. But, it was nice to feel like I'd made progress emotionally since I last really thought about it in detail.

What I really enjoyed after the interview was being allowed to look at all the lovely old recording and playback devices both audio and visual.

Having worked in the BBC for over a decade many of them looked familiar, if only I'd seen them in far flung store rooms. Although many in The British Library I'd only heard of, such as the wire recorder. It reminds me that despite these many now defunct devices being no longer of any use to many of us now, they hold a kind of charm and beauty. I hope you enjoy my photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/katzupatree/sets/72157635394018162/

Oh, and joining the British Library is quite exciting! Even if the process is a bit intimidating... I swear I just joined a secret society! ;)

From one adventure to another...

1 & a half stone heavier & fatigued after Chemo
(Photo: Jo Clarke)

This time last year I was recovering from having Chemotherapy for Hodgkin Lymphoma. The battle against cancer was won but I felt utterly broken. Any sense of feeling attractive had gone. I was emotional, fatigued and couldn't imagine ever functioning as the old youthful Kat again.

52 miles at the London Bikeathon
(Photo Kat Howells)

Since then I have slowly improved. My energy has returned... enough to cycle 52 miles and walk 20 miles at two charity events less than a week apart in September; I have lost a stone and a half since my treatment (it may be more but I haven't weighed myself recently); and most dramatically I took voluntary redundancy from the BBC where I have worked for nearly 12 years.

I write this blog from the other side of the world. In January I set off on a very big adventure of a more positive kind than the one that I went through with my health.

Not a bad place to relax!

I started off in India, traveled to Thailand, Vietnam and now Malaysia. It hasn't quite been two months so I still have three and a half months and several more countries to go. I have met lots of interesting people, seen some fantastic sights, eaten delicious food and had life changing experiences. Most of all, I feel like I have turned a page. I still feel the shadow that cancer has cast on my life, not to mention the positive outcomes it brought. But I now have something more interesting and positive to talk about.

So after a couple of months of constantly moving from place to place, I am sitting in a hotel room in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia writing to you about this new adventure I am experiencing. 

Koh Samui Spa retreat

Thanks for you joining me!

Cakes!

Did the title get your attention?... well it certainly got my work's and choir's. I took a whole stack of baked products in to both and they were devoured!

So what was the reason for this baking frenzy? To boost my fundraising for Maggie’s Cancer Care Centres and Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research of course. So thank you to the staff at the BBC Academy and members of the Cecil Sharp House Choir who donated an impressive £210!

Lymphatic Cancer Awareness Week

Before I heard that I may have Lymphoma last year I didn’t even realise that there were other blood cancers than Leukaemia. But then I also had no idea that there were different types of Chemo, so getting diagnosed with Stage 2 Hodgkin Lymphoma in July was an education. Thankfully I’m now in remission.

Just as we say goodbye to London 2012 another important date in the calendar arrived. Today saw the start of Lymphatic Cancer Awareness Week.

Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research say that "around 17,000 people are diagnosed with lymphoma in the UK every year - that's one every 30 minutes"! They are far more eloquent than me about what lymphoma is and what the symptoms are, so feel free to check their website out: http://leukaemialymphomaresearch.org.uk/research/lymphatic-cancer-awareness-week 

Oh, and while you're there you might recognise a familiar face:

http://leukaemialymphomaresearch.org.uk/personal-stories/patient-stories/kat-macaulays-story

Yes, that's me!

Rather fittingly I'll be finishing this week cycling 52 miles in the London Bikeathon for Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research. This is just half of a big personal challenge as I will also be walking 20 mile's for Maggie's Centres less than a week later (more news of that to come in future posts). All this is less than a year after I finished chemo so please sponsor me:

http://www.justgiving.com/katsbigchallenge1

Where Now?

Some of you may have realised that I've not posted for quite a while. This year has been quite a tough one for me! I thought that getting rid of hodgy would be a positive turning point. What I didn't appreciate was that when my adrenaline and fighting spirit had gone and when everyone thinks you're on the road to recovery... damn, you think you are, that's when the going gets tough!

I finished treatment at the end of November and was told I could return to work. I couldn't wait! Work were amazing. They told me to ease into things and take it at my own pace, but I was impatient. I wanted to get on with my old life. My confidence was also at rock bottom. I’d put on lots of weight and felt very unattractive, I was incredibly forgetful with ‘chemo brain’, I was also very overemotional and responded badly to even a small amount of stress. This, as you can imagine wasn’t a great formula for a happy working life. I did persevere, but it was tough. I also didn’t want people to see me struggling so there was only the odd occasion that I admitted that I wasn’t coping. In retrospect I went back to work too early.

For several months I put on a brave face. This extended to my social life, although I did find myself saying no to more social events than usual. I felt like all I could really do was moan so I saw a lot less of friends. My poor boyfriend Dan was one of the few that saw me disintegrate. We hadn’t been seeing each other for long. I apologised to him for being a defective and leaky (crying lots) girlfriend. Thankfully he was an amazing support.

The turning point was when I joined the Maggie’s ‘Where Now’ course. Maggie’s Cancer Care Centre’s offer one to one sessions with skilled cancer support specialists for anyone affected. They even offer nutrition and benefits advice to people dealing with the practical elements of a diagnosis. ‘Where Now’ lasts for 6 weeks and starts with a gentle exercise session. They give nutritional, emotional, and medical management advice often around a big kitchen table over a light and very tasty nutritional meal. Mary and Elaine who led the London sessions were wonderful, so kind, patient and generous. Things generally finished with some relaxation exercises but what meant the most to me was meeting others in the same boat. I found out I wasn’t going mad!

So, Where Now? Well, thankfully, I have turned the corner. I have pretty much said goodbye to the fatigue which I felt would never go. I am generally happier, although cancer has left me with a certain shadow that has not entirely lifted. After being fairly blasé about my health previously I am also slightly hypochondriac at times! Any little ailment makes me nervous. But hope is on the horizon. I am ready for new and more positive adventures. Although, I feel very blessed to have worked at the BBC and have loved my 11 years with auntie I am taking voluntary redundancy. It probably sounds crazy during such uncertain times but I plan to draw a line under the difficult times and go travelling. I’ve always wanted to do it but now there is also another motivation. I hope that I might have more positive adventures to talk about when I return… other than the C word! Then hello freelance world…I’m on my way. Life just got very exciting… in a positive way!

Ps. There are still videos towards the end of my treatment to put up, and I will. I just needed a bit of space from Hodgy. Thank you for your patience. x

Happy 2012! More vlogs to come... I promise!

Well a very happy 2012 to you all! I have to say that I shed a happy tear or two at midnight. This year has been one of the most dramatic and fascinating years of my life. I got diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma back in April. I then received four months of ABVD chemotherapy to treat it. I am happy to say that I have now had my third and final PET/ CT scan and it is the second to show that I am in remission.

You'll notice that it's been a while since I last posted. My energy levels went way down, I spent a lot of time in bed and I have to say that I didn't find the last bit of my treatment that easy. As everyone said, I'd been dealing with things so well. I guess there had to be a bit of give at some point. Ironically, when I got my all clear my happiness and buoyancy levels crashed. I actually wanted to hibernate. I think I'd been so full of adrenalin and coping mechanisms that hearing I was in remission gave me a chance to step back and stop fighting. I still had a couple of months of chemo left and I'd put on a lot of weight which left me feeling pretty low.

I obviously got through that time with the fantastic help of my family, friends and my wonderful boyfriend Dan. Singing in my choir also kept me going... it really has been a tonic. I even managed to organise a traditional folk music singaround at The Windmill pub in London. The room was donated free, My friend Sam gave me a hand and my friends and the folk community supported me and helped me raise £372 for Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research.

So what now?
Well, I'm back working as a Production Trainer at The BBC Academy. I went back on the 4th January and I am very thankful that work have been so understanding and supportive. I am trying to ease in gently, as they have suggested.  But despite my energy levels and my morale remaining a bit low I am raring to just get back to normal.

And how about the blog?
Well, I have a couple of vlogs still to edit and post. One is an honest and frank look at Picc lines... from the day I went to get my line inserted, my initial trouble getting used to it, my allergies to the dressing and ways to look after it. I filmed my other vlog on the day before my last treatment. I am just about to film another very soon and I hope to continue updating things as time goes on. Remission is not the end of my story!

I hope this message finds you all well, and if not, then I hope that you are finding ways to cope. A big thank you to all of you for reading this and please forgive me for taking so long to write.

Wishing you a very happy, healthy 2012!
Kat. x

An answer to my PICC line prayers!

This is probably only of interest to other people who have PICC lines...

I've not had the easiest time with my line. I do have a video diary taking shape about it and I promise I'll post it soon.

The line has meant that I've had to deal with less needles but during the first few times I found the cleaning process slightly stressful... although that's getting easier now that the exit site is healing and is less tender. My skin also reacted badly to the initial dressings. I had an allergic reaction and my skin bubbled up which I found quite stressful.

The newer dressing, which is called Tagaderm Film, actually seems to be a lot better, which is a massive relief! The nurses have also found an alternative fastener to hold the line in place because, although they'd switched to Tagaderm the original fastener still had the initial taped adhesive which was causing me problems.

The only problem with the film though is that because it's a bit gentler it's also not great at keeping water out, so showers and baths haven't been that relaxing. I've already tried wrapping cling film round and taping it but not only is this fiddley but I don't quite seem to have the knack. However, after a bit of a google search I came across the Limbo elbow cover: LimbO Products - LimbO Adult Elbow Cover - M65. I haven't tried it yet, and there may be other products, but I'm planning to order it on Monday. Apparently they can deliver it quite speedily and it's reasonably priced at £11.45. Fingers crossed it works as I still have at least a couple of months of this line... I may even have it till the new year. I'll let you know.

Bye bye Hodgy!

Scan shows I'm all clear and have no cancer left... So just 2 months of chemo before another scan. So relieved!!! Video post on it's way....

Please give to a very good cause

My all time wonderful friend Katherine (yes we do share the same first name!) and her fab boyfriend Ade are running a 5K run on Sunday in aid of Breakthrough Breast Cancer. It's a charity that's close to my heart as my mum had breast cancer three times and I am very touched as they apparently running in my honour. Please visit this link and give generously: http://www.justgiving.com/Katherine-Howells

Many thanks,

Kat. xxx

Vote for Maggie's, London... it'll only take a minute.

Please vote for Maggie's Cancer Caring Centre, London to win £6,000 from Natwest & RBS. It's free to do and only takes one minute. http://bit.ly/rbI9qS. Help us spread the word and ask your friends to do this too.

It is such a good cause. They provide an amazing service. Since I was diagnosed I have had general advice in a session and on a one to one basis, I've done yoga and just finished a nutrition course. It's this last course they are looking for funding for. I learnt so much about how food can help fight cancer and help in other ways. I was also treated to some very tastey treats.

I would be grateful to anyone who votes for Maggie's. They help so many people. Thanks.

Thanks

As you can see, I've just posted my seventh video diary from the end of August. It's taken a bit of time as I had to work out how to get the footage off the camera and into the edit. I just want to say a big thank you to my colleague Gareth who very kindly showed me how to do this. I also had the added bonus that I got to catch up with friends at work. To all of you who are reading this... Thank you. It really was great to see you.

Other thanks have to go to the lovely people at Maggie's who really are amazing. I love the London building. It's a complete oasis of calm and the wonderful people who work there are so hospitable and helpful. I had the pleasure of having a potter around their library, reading in the sun on their leafy balcony and then having a massage. I have to say, that is one of the things that makes this whole experience a lot easier to deal with.

Just to let you know that I have two more video diaries to follow shortly... the footage is actually on my computer so it shouldn't take too long to edit it and get it on YouTube.

Thanks again for checking my blog out. x