The most popular Lifesaving Poems of 2015

Here is a list of the most-read Lifesaving Poems during 2015: Mary Oliver, The Journey UA Fanthorpe, Atlas Ted Hughes, … More

Why do it?

because of the words and because of the books because of the woman in the anorak at the swimming baths … More

It’s hard to describe. One day your are fine, not quite the same (age will do this to you), then … More

Nine years ago today I was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a cancer of the white blood cells. Even though I have … More

I have so much to be grateful for in 2014. The year began in one of my temporary fits … More

I am taking a break from writing brand new blog posts over the summer. Instead of posting new work I … More

Don’t forget, this is inside us every day -Stephen Berg This is not happening. It happened. Past tense. One … More

Then this. We are sitting with hospital mugs of tea, in the Quiet Room. We are all leaning forward, listening … More

This is the day we go the hospital as usual. We have banter with Jörn and Nadine while they inject … More

Dear Anthony Two cycles down, just six more to go. You are not looking bad, considering. The belligerent doctor who … More

Dear Ant So you’ve had your first chemotherapy treatment. That first night, when you came home and carried the sick … More

These are the most read Lifesaving Poems posts of 2013. Mary Oliver, ‘The Journey’ I first read this on … More

Let Evening Come Let the light of late afternoon shine through chinks in the barn, moving up the bales as … More

I wrote here recently about losing my ambition as a writer. In case readers are in any doubt, the stuff … More

This is Jörn Cann. He was my ward doctor at the haematology unit where I was treated for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma … More

Towards the end of my treatment for cancer in 2006 I had one of the most profound conversations of my … More

It was great to hear the BBC’s Deputy Political Editor James Landale’s interview about his experience of treatment for cancer … More

As I say in my full length review of Jo Shapcott’s Of Mutability, really good books about cancer are rare. Really … More