Kicking Cancer's Ass.... A special thankyou to Velindre Cancer Centre.

I watch...

As each patient wanders through the vast corridors looking for their treatment room. With a plethora of friendly smiling male and female nurses, flit around the brightly lit corridors, always helpful, always with a kind word. Each and everyone that comes through the door of the Velindra Cancer Centre, has either got some form of cancer or has a relative or friend that has cancer. That knowing smile we all give to each other, full of empathy, and the invisible speech bubble would read" I know what you are going though and I'm so sorry." When you leave after your chemo or other treatment,tired,no one seems to say "get well" they say "Good luck" instead. That made me want to cry! I saw a 7-year-old little girl, no hair, a drip through her face and sparkly Pyjamas on, skipping to chemo! eyes full of hope. Her mum following hopefully behind her, and in the knowledge that this is poison her daughter is getting to help cure her! This will make her sick before it cures her! what a strange thing? Can we dare to hope for a healthier life? No death? Of course, we should dream. Hope is a good thing to have.

I have been to the Velindre Cancer Centre in Cardiff for many days with my brother, watching him get Chemo a poison which kills most cells to make you healthy again? My God is there no alternative to this poison, I had thought? An incessant thirst followed that night while the chemo seeped into his bloodstream and started its dreaded work. He looked haggard and so tired! Throat cancer makes you sound like Darth Vader on Helium! or no voice at all. Not being able to swallow even liquids makes things very difficult indeed; like having a cup of tea with a side order of razor blades! We can but hope that all of this constant bombarding will eliminate cancer that ravages us. Hope is eternal! Hope is good.

We should cherish each day, cherish our family, our best friends, our lives, our children Always! And be there for each other when we need it most. I give my most grateful thanks to the velindre Cancer centre for looking after those who visit.

Julie x