F*** You Cancer by Deborah James

Today I went to see Deborah James and Lauren Mahon, from the You, Me and the Big C #youmebigc podcast, at the Henley Literary Festival. Deborah's book F*** You Cancer was published this week, and is already a best seller. It's a brilliant book, which I would highly recommend buying a copy. One in two people will be affected by cancer, so it's great to see these two inspirational women bringing cancer into the mainstream. The ladies paid tribute to the other member of the podcast, Rachael Bland, who, very sadly, recently died from breast cancer. I went wearing an Alarm t-shirt as Deborah recently met Jules Peters from the band, who is another inspirational individual living with cancer. I am working on Deborah becoming a fan! 😊

Today's event was held at Phyllis Court in Henley, and although I am local to the town and drive past it every day, I'd never been there before. In fact my mum was born only a few hundred yards from the venue in The Sun pub in 1936, which sadly is now offices. It was a highly entertaining hour, but also informative and talking about all the issues surrounding living with cancer. The good news is that the number one podcast will be back, and I think that this live event format could also be worth developing.. In fact so popular was the event today, that Deborah was still signing copies of her book as the next event was starting. 

Just over a year ago I met Deborah for my forthcoming fundraising book, The Record, which I am hoping will be published in spring 2019. It was a fascinating, and enlightening experience listening to her story, and talking at length about bowel cancer. Deborah, married with two young children, has an aggressive form of stage 4 bowel cancer. Since her diagnosis she has played a major role in raising awareness about the disease, as well as raising a considerable amount of money for cancer charities. She leads her life at 100 miles an hour - I would compare her to a human hurricane! She spoke with great passion about bowel cancer, but also with a lot of common sense. We chatted for about three hours with beers and wine as refreshments, and although the conversation covered every aspect surrounding her illness, Deborah was great fun, a master of fruity language, and with laughter never too far away. I will have to revisit the chapter on Deborah as so much has happened to her since our meeting.

Bowel cancer is the second highest cancer killer in the UK claiming 16,000 lives each year. However if detected early it can be successfully treated in over 90% of cases. A massive challenge is to improve the early detection rates giving more patients a better chance of living longer. At the moment only 15% of bowel cancer patients are diagnosed at the early stage 1. I am writing my new book in memory of my mum, who sadly passed away from bowel cancer in August 2016. All funds raised from sales of this book will be donated to Bowel Cancer UK (Beating Bowel Cancer Together), the UK's leading bowel cancer charity.

Book Reviews

The role that reviews play in getting the Lives & Times bowel cancer charity book out to a wider audience is an important part of increasing sales. In basic terms when people see an item on Amazon has a high number of good reviews they are more likely to buy it. This is both irrational but predictable behaviour...

To date less than a quarter of the sales have been on Amazon with the vast majority being by myself. I am currently selling the book and other items on my ETSY online store. This is good for the fundraising as more money goes to the charity from purchases made on my website.

However it does not matter where you have bought the book as you can still post a review on Amazon.

The reviews I've had have been great with some maximum five start reviews. If I know someone has bought the the book I always ask them if they would be kind enough to post a review. However it is more important to get a  high quantity of reviews, as a book with 500 four-star reviews will sell more copies than a book with 15 five-star reviews.

So for anyone who has kindly bought Lives & Times fundraising book and not managed to do a review yet, please could you post one on Amazon as every review really does help. Please take a look at the reviews posted so far on Amazon.

All proceeds I receive are being donated to Bowel Cancer UK (Beating Bowel Cancer Together) with over £4000 raised so far. My mother died in August 2016 after the bowel cancer spread to her brain by way of her left lung.

I am also very keen to get the book reviewed by the media and book reviewers. This has so far proved to be very challenging. If anyone reading this has any ideas to help I would be very grateful.

Meeting Television Director and Guitarist Ed Bazalgette for Bowel Cancer Charity Book

I had a brilliant meeting with Ed Bazalgette for the forthcoming charity book I am writing for Bowel Cancer UK in memory of my mother who died in 2016. Ed, not only directs television programmes such as Dr Who, but also is the guitarist with The Vapors, best remembered for their 1980 hit single 'Turning Japanese'. We spent an hour chatting all things music and television and it was fascinating getting an insight into his work. The book is hopefully going to be published next spring, and this meeting took a while to come together, but well worth the wait.

Bowel cancer is the second highest cancer killer in UK - 16,000 people die every year. However, if detected early at stage 1 it can be successfully treated in over 90% of cases. If diagnosed at the late stage 4 phase only 7% of patients will live for 5 years or more. At the moment only 15% of people are diagnosed at stage 1, so it is vital to improve early detection rates to save more lives.

Please take a look at my ETSY online store, where I have a whole load of items raising money for the charity.

Gail Porter Supporting Bowel Cancer Charity Books

Gail Porter is one of a very select group of people who, having featured in the Lives & Times bowel cancer charity book, will also feature in the new fundraising book, The Record, due to be published in 2019.

We are still trying to arrange the meeting for the new book, but going back to December 2014 we met at Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park, which is like a home from home for Gail. This first meeting between us began disastrously as, unbelievably, we somehow missed each other. Thankfully we were able to try again the following week, and we eventually managed to meet up on what was a very cold and festive evening. I can't believe that this was almost four years ago now.

Gail was really lovely, and very enthusiastic in getting involved in the book - she was brilliant fun, and it was certainly one of my favourite chapters I did for Lives & Times. The chapter makes reference to our ride on the 'Ski Slope' ride, where stupidly I hadn't realised quite what I was letting myself in for! Lets just say 360 degrees! 😱Of course meeting Gail was a brilliant photo opportunity, and how many people can count themselves lucky enough to have photographed the beautiful Gail Porter? 

My mother was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2012. Although the operation to remove the tumour from her bowel was a success, the cancer spread to her left lung, and she had four operations to remove nodules from her lungs, bouncing back each time getting back on her horse and driving her car even as she approached her 80th birthday. Sadly in 2016 the cancer also spread to her brain and her condition became terminal, and Mum died on the 29th of August 2016. 

All my fundraising is now being done in Mum's memory, and if anything the whole point of the fundraising and raising awareness about bowel cancer has been even more reinforced by her death. All proceeds I receive are being donated to Bowel Cancer UK (Beating Bowel Cancer Together), the UK's leading bowel cancer charity. Bowel cancer is the second highest cancer killer in the UK, but if detected early it can be successfully treated in over 90% of cases. Much more needs to be done in raising awareness, and improving early detection rates.

The fundraising total is now past £4000 thanks to kindness of generosity of so many people. Please check out my ETSY online store website where there are lots of items you can buy to support my fundraising efforts. 

Photographing The Original Status Quo Line Up For Bowel Cancer Charity Book

It was over four years ago that I began meeting people for my bowel cancer fundraising books. My first ever request was emailed to Status Quo and they came back with a yes. Of course in my naivety at the time I thought that everyone would say yes! So I photographed the original Status Quo line up that reformed for the gigs in 2014 from the press pit at the Hammersmith Apollo, and it was absolutely amazing. It really felt like a once in a lifetime opportunity. I managed to take about 200 photos in the 10 minutes you are allowed in the pit before being ejected from the venue! The full story along with some of the very best photos appeared in my Lives & Times charity book, which has so far raised over £4000 for Bowel Cancer UK (Beating Bowel Cancer Together). The photo below shows just how close to stage I was... Thanks Quo! 😊

Lives & Times was published in 2015, and at the time of publication my mother was receiving treatment for bowel cancer, having been diagnosed in 2012. It is one of my proudest achievements having mum see the finished book and how successful it has been. Sadly she died in 2016, and my next book, due for publication 2019, will be raising funds in her memory. Bowel Cancer UK is striving towards a day when no-one dies of bowel cancer. At the moment it is the second highest cancer killer as 16,000 people die each year. However, if detected early it can be successfully treated in over 90% of cases.

Sadly, since publication of Lives & Times, Rick Parfitt of Status Quo died on Christmas Eve 2016. I am happy to reveal that I've met John Coghlan from Quo for the forthcoming book.

Photographing Gregg Wallace For Bowel Cancer Charity Book

Television presenter Gregg Wallace is the latest person that I have photographed for The Record, my forthcoming charity book that will raise funds for Bowel Cancer UK. I met him before his one man show at the Norden Farm Arts Centre in Maidenhead, which is the road where my mum and dad lived all their married lives and where I grew up. Although he arrived a little late at the venue for our meeting, he was still happy to give me as much time as I wanted, and he couldn't have been more helpful. His first record that will be revealed in the book is a cracker! 

My mum died from bowel cancer in 2016, and all proceeds raised from sales of the book will be donated to Bowel Cancer UK. 41,000 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer in the UK each year, and 16,000 people die making it the second highest cancer killer. However, if detected at the early stage 1, patients have a 93% chance of living for five years or more. This figure falls to just 7% when diagnosed at the late stage 4. At the moment just 15% of cases are detected at stage 1, so improving early detection rates is crucial to reducing the number of deaths. Bowel Cancer UK is doing some amazing work driving this process forward, and I am proud to be raising funds for them, and making my own small contribution to raising awareness. Please check out my ETSY store where all my fundraising items are available.

Arsenal Legend Charlie Nicholas Features In Lives & Times Bowel Cancer Charity Book

Arsenal legend Charlie Nicholas was the greatest footballer I ever saw play live. If Malcolm Macdonald was my childhood footballing hero, Charlie was the first proper hero I had when I was going to watch Arsenal games. I met him for the book at a hotel in Brentford not far from SKY Sports before a European Champions League night he was covering. A nicer man you couldn't wish to meet. Having been told I might get half an hour with him, we ended up chatting for an hour or so. It was absolutely fascinating and a brilliant experience. It is one of my favourite chapters in the book so get Lives & Times and have a read. Over £4000 has now been raised for Bowel Cancer UK (Beating Bowel Cancer Together).

Sadly my mother, the inspiration for the book, died in August 2016, four and half years after being diagnosed with bowel cancer. Bowel cancer is the second highest cancer killer in the UK. 16,000 people die each year. However, if detected early at stage 1 it can be successfully treated in over 90% of cases with patients surviving five years or more. This drops to only 7% when diagnosis occurs at the late stage 4. Only 15% of cases are currently diagnosed at stage 1, so much more needs to be done to improve early detection rates.

Meeting Siân Lloyd For Bowel Cancer Charity Book

Television presenter Siân Lloyd is the latest celebrity that I have met and photographed for the forthcoming book, The Record, which will raise funds for Bowel Cancer UK (Beating Bowel Cancer Together). We met at the stunning Dartmouth House in Mayfair, and we ended up chatting for a couple of hours, so it's going to be another cracking chapter for the book. I first thought of contacting Siân when I saw a photograph of her with the Beating Bowel Cancer logo on her jeans, which was taken when she won Rear Of The Year in 2007. It took a while for us to arrange this meeting, but it was more than worth the wait. She was absolutely lovely, and we chatted about my mum and bowel cancer, her first record, her career and so much more. I'll save the details for the chapter in the book, but I can reveal when we talked about music she is also a fan of The Alarm, and told me about her time working with Gareth Jones (Gaz Top) on How 2 in the 1990s. Gareth, a one time roadie with The Alarm also feature in the new book. 

I have met almost 100 people for this book and the previous book, Lives & Times, and I have never had a photo taken of me in action. Siân thought it we be a great idea to get on of the staff to take a picture of us on her phone.

My mum died in 2016, and not long after I began working on the new book pretty soon afterwards. I am hoping to have the photographs and meetings finished by the end of this year, as that will have been two and a half years, which I feel is a good time to draw a line under it all, and get the book published next spring.

Bowel cancer is the second highest cancer killer in the UK, and each year 16,000 people die of it. However if detected early at stage 1 it can be successfully treated in over 93% of cases. This falls to 7% when diagnosed at stage 4. At the moment only 15% of patients are detected at stage 1. So raising awareness is vital to help improve early detection rates. Bowel Cancer UK is doing some amazing work driving this process forward, and I am proud to be raising funds for them, and making my own small contribution to raising awareness. Please check out my ETSY store where my fundraising items are available.

Photographing Amy Macdonald

I was given the wonderful opportunity to photograph Amy Macdonald last year for the forthcoming bowel cancer charity book, The Record. She very kindly agreed to me being given a photo pass for her concert at GLive in Guildford. It was an amazing experience, and I literally had to kneel in front of the stage to take the photos. The concert was terrific with Amy playing a stripped back set with her three-piece band. I love this photo, which I edited using a low-key effect, but it won't be the one I use in the book, where I will reveal the first record that Amy bought. She has a Best Of album coming out in November, and a UK tour in 2019, so exciting times for her.

The new book is in its final stages now, and I am aiming to finish the photography and meeting by the end of this year with a view to publishing in the first part of 2019. It is is the follow up to my 2015 book, Lives & Times, which has so far raised over £4000. All funds raised will be donated to Bowel Cancer UK (Beating Bowel Cancer Together) in memory of my mum who died in August 2016 after being diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2012. This awful disease is the second highest cancer killer in the UK, but if detected early it is treatable in over 90% of cases. So apart from raising funds, the book will help to raise awareness about bowel cancer, which is vital to improving early detection rates.

Please check out my ETSY store. where all the proceeds raised from sales of items sold are donated to the Bowel Cancer UK.

Meeting Deborah James for The Record

Coming up for a year ago, last September, I spent a really nice evening in the company of Deborah James in Richmond. She'd happily agreed to be in my forthcoming fundraising book, The Record, which I am hoping will be published in spring 2019. It was a fascinating, and enlightening experience listening to her story, and talking at length about bowel cancer. Deborah, married with two young children, has an aggressive form of stage 4 bowel cancer. Since her diagnosis she has played a major role in raising awareness about the disease, as well as raising a considerable amount of money for Bowel Cancer UK. She uses the "Bowel Babe" name on social media, and I would highly recommend following her. She leads her life at 100 miles an hour - I would compare her to a human hurricane! She spoke with great passion about bowel cancer, but also with a lot of common sense. Since her diagnosis she has undergone a gruelling course of chemotherapy as well as surgery, and not surprisingly there are times when she is completely wiped out, but she keeps bouncing back, and she refuses to let cancer rule her life.

We chatted for about three hours with beers and wine as refreshments, and although the conversation covered every aspect surrounding her illness, Deborah was great fun, a master of fruity language, and with laughter never too far away. She is a really inspiring individual, and it really is a great chapter for the book. Deborah is also involved in the enlightening and successful podcast "You, Me and the Big C" #youmebigc which is well worth checking out. The number one podcast features Deborah, along with Rachael Bland and Lauren Mahon talking about living with cancer. It will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions, but it's a brilliant listen. Very sadly Rachael died last week, so my thoughts are very much with her family and friends at this time.

Bowel cancer is the second highest cancer killer in the UK claiming 16,000 lives each year. However if detected early it can be successfully treated in over 90% of cases. A massive challenge is to improve the early detection rates giving more patients a better chance of living longer. At the moment only 15% of bowel cancer patients are diagnosed at the early stage 1. I am writing the book in memory of my mum, who sadly passed away from bowel cancer in August 2016. All funds raised from sales of this book will be donated to Bowel Cancer UK (Beating Bowel Cancer Together), who have recently joined together, to become the UK's leading bowel cancer charity. Please visit my ETSY online store where there is a whole range of items that can be purchased to raise funds for the charity. Over £4000 has been raised so far.

Nicola Bryant Features In Forthcoming Bowel Cancer Charity Book

Towards the end of 2017 I met Nicola Bryant, perhaps best remembered for playing "Peri Brown" in Doctor Who during the 1980s. However, we probably spent more time talking about dogs than anything else. Anyone who follows Nicola on Twitter will know all about her love of dogs, especially her dog Harvey. I had brought my Prince along with me for the ride, and he had only recently been diagnosed with multiple slipped discs at the time. Nicola made a big fuss of him which made her a new friend. I am pleased to report that Prince, although there is no cure for him, is doing remarkably well, and is a very happy dog.

But I digress... We talked about Nicola's time on Doctor Who, but also in the chapter there will be a few interesting facts about her that I did not know, and her first record is a cracker! Bowel cancer has sadly touched Nicola's family on her partner's side, so I remain truly grateful for her support. I am hoping to finish the photography and meetings for the book by the end of the year, so I will hopefully finally get it published in spring 2019 fingers crossed. I have put two and half years of my life into it, so I hope that it will be worth the wait for everyone.

Bowel cancer is the second highest cancer killer in the UK. Each year 41,000 people are diagnosed with it, and 16,000 lose their lives. However, if detected early it can be successfully treated in over 90% of cases, so it is crucial to raise awareness about bowel cancer, and improve early detection rates. At the moment only 15% of patients are diagnosed at the early stage 1. 

My mother died in August 2016 four and a half years after being diagnosed with bowel cancer. After her operation to have the tumour removed from bowel, mum had four further operations when the cancer spread to her left lung. She managed to lead a normal and very happy life right up until the last few months when the cancer finally spread to her brain. All my fundraising is now being done in her memory, which even included a charity tandem skydive this summer, which confronted my fear of heights head on...

My last fundraising book, Lives & Times, has raised over £4000 for Bowel cancer UK, and all proceeds raised from sales of the forthcoming book, The Record, featuring Nicola will also be donated to the same charity. Please check out for my ETSY online store for all my cancer fundraising items.

Cancer The Winning and Losing Myth

This week, Rachael Bland, the BBC journalist died. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016, and she was a quite remarkable lady, who touched many people's lives. Alongside Deborah James and Lauren Mahon, the #youmebigc podcast has got people talking about cancer, and has provided invaluable help and support for so many patients and their families. However, I am not qualified to write a tribute to Rachael, and there have been some wonderful tributes paid to her by her family, close friends and colleagues. 

One of the topics discussed on the podcast was how it was unfair to label a patient's cancer being a battle, and something that you either win or lose. I have to admit that before starting work on the new book I did refer to mum's 'battle with bowel cancer', and 'losing her fight'. I have come to realise that I was wrong, and no longer use such terms in any of my writing. My mum didn't lose anything. She had no control over the cancer, and throughout the four and a half years managed to carry on living her life to the full, which was never defined by cancer. In terms of her treatment, Mum did everything that the doctors asked her to do with courage and dignity. If Mum had died from another illness I doubt the terms lost and battle would have been used. She loved a long and happy life, something worth celebrating. 

There are three photos above, and I have to pay these three ladies great credit, as it was my conversations with them for chapters in the forthcoming book, that played a large part in me coming around to a new way of thinking about the use of certain words and phrases. I met Janet Ellis at her house in London, and she told me about the workshops she has done on the power of words, such as 'battle', and 'fight', and the way she talked about it really made me think long and hard. I met Deborah James in Richmond, and although this was some time before the #youmebigc podcast, she had already become a major figure on social media in talking about bowel cancer, and raising awareness. I had a really good discussion with Deborah about words, and everything she said made great sense. Finally the other Deborah James, who sadly died in July 2017. We met in Northampton just a couple of months before she died. She was so nice, and I was very upset when her death was announced. She told me how she had become a self taught expert on bowel cancer, and would do everything possible to to defy the doctors and stay alive, but she said she had no control over the cancer.

Three hugely inspirational ladies, who have helped come to look at this all from a new perspective and I feel that I really did learn something so very important from these conversations. The new book continues to be an amazing experience, and I continue to learn, and hopefully develop into a better person. So these words and phrases have now been banished, and after the recent #youmebigc podcast talking about the words, 'death', 'died', and 'dying', and how they needed to be reclaimed for use in everyday language, I make no apologies for starting to use them more often now.

Back in March I contacted Rachael about being in the new book, and I was really pleased when she said yes. Unfortunately I never did get to meet her, which is a great shame, as everything she's achieved would point to Rachael making a great addition to the book. Even when time had become ever so valuable towards the end of her life, she still sent me a short message wishing me luck with the book, which means an awful lot to me now. My deepest sympathy and thoughts are with her family and friends. RIP Rachael Bland.

4 Track Digital EP Raising Funds for Love Hope Strength Foundation

This is a departure from my normal fundraising for Bowel Cancer UK. Everyone who knows me, will know all about my obsession for my favourite band The Alarm. Lead singer Mike Peters has been living with leukemia for over 20 years, and is a co-founder of the Love Hope Strength Foundation, whose purpose is to raise funds and awareness in order to benefit people with leukemia and cancer. It is now the world's leading rock and roll cancer foundation.

I have been looking at a way to support the charity, and I have decided that releasing music would be a good starting point. My ultimate dream would to get professional musicians to record a song I've written, but that's for the future.

To begin I have released a four track digital EP of songs by our band The Majority. I'm In The Mood... It costs £1.79 from my ETSY online store and after the website fees all proceeds will be donated to LHS.

I'm In The Mood...

• Out For The Count
• Majority
• No-One Knows Me
• Hello!

The Majority took its name from a classic Alarm song, and we were a performing five piece band in the mid 1980s. The line-up was Tim (guitar), Ad (drums), Stu (keyboards), Rich (bass), and Lewis (vocals). We are all still friends, and there have even been some best man roles at weddings. Towards the end of the 1990s myself and Ad starting recording new and old songs on a Tascam 4-track Portastudio, and this EP has songs from those recordings. They have been touched up on my BOSS digital multi-track recorder in recent times. If  there is enough support for this EP, then the next release will be something completely new.

Please click on this link to order from ETSY.

The Second Anniversary of Mum's Death

In the space of eight days each August we have what would have been mum and dad's birthdays, and on today August the 29th it's the anniversary of mum's death. She died two years ago from bowel cancer, having been diagnosed in 2012. Obviously bereavement affects us all in different ways, and some days are better than others. It's a time to raise a glass to mum (probably a cup of PG Tips) and allow myself some quiet reflection.

One thing that I have aspired to do over the last couple of years is to live for the moment as much as possible, and although it is still very much work in progress, I can look back on some pretty amazing things. The new fundraising book, The Record, is entering its final stages now. I have decided to give myself until the end of the year to do as many more meetings with people as possible, and then draw a line under it. The plan will be to try and publish the book in the first half of 2019. It's been a remarkable journey full of amazing, and wonderful experiences that I am excited about sharing. Sales of the current book, Lives & Times, and the t-shirts, art, wristbands etc have continued to go well, and have now raised over £4000 for Bowel Cancer UK. The recent skydive was a phenomenal success raising another £2000 for the charity, and I confronted my real fear of heights head on. I have recently set up a store on ETSY to sell everything, but I am still hoping to get a new website, so if anyone can help me with setting up a small eCommerce website please get in touch.

Away from the fundraising I managed to get away to North Wales for a long weekend at the beginning of the year to see The Alarm, where I met up with so many wonderful friends, who have been wonderful supporters too. I then made my first ever trip to New York in May, once again to see The Alarm, and made many new friendships there too. In fact one of the positives to come out of sadness is the way I am slowly coming out of my shell, and being open to making new friendships. Not an easy thing for someone inherently shy.

I took this photo of Mum in Cornwall in 2012, not long after her diagnosis, and just before she started to chemo and radiotherapy to shrink the tumour in her bowel prior to surgery. She was down there with friends for a holiday, and I had to do a rush drive down there to collect her for a hastily arranged appointment. These are the images of Mum that I love to remember. She had bowel cancer for four and a half years, and for pretty much all of that time this was typical mum, very happy, living her life to the full, and not allowing cancer to define it. And not forgetting that glass of wine 😊 xx

I still miss mum, and she remains my inspiration for my fundraising, and efforts to raise awareness about bowel cancer, which is the second highest cancer killer in the UK with 16,000 deaths each year. 41,000 people are diagnosed each year, and if detected early it can be successfully treated in over 90% of cases. This figure drops to 7% when diagnosis is at the later stage 4. The key is to raise awareness and improve early detection rates. At the moment only 15% of patients are diagnosed at the early stage 1 phase, which gives them that best chance of surviving five years or more. I very much support Bowel Cancer UK, and their hope for a future when no-one dies of bowel cancer.

The Tearaways in St Albans

I spent a quite brilliant evening at The Horn in St Albans watching US band The Tearaways. This is without doubt the best way to watch live music, and the band were at the top of their game, and it was a stunning gig. The band were over in the UK doing a short tour, and what a great opportunity to see the band in an intimate venue. They couldn't have been nicer after the show coming back out to chat to everyone. An extra special to bassist John Ferriter for his help, and allowing me to take photographs, and also for giving me some of the band's CDs at the end of the night.

The Tearaways have a rather famous drummer. Clem Burke from Blondie... My own first record was by Blondie, so it's extra special to have this connection in the book.

If you ever get the chance to see this band you must go. Great musicians, and great songs... what a great way to spend a Monday evening...

The chapter on The Tearaways will feature in the forthcoming charity book, The Record, set to be published in 2019. I am doing the book in memory of my mum who was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2012, and sadly died in 2016. All proceeds raised from sales will be donated to Bowel Cancer UK.

The "Coffee Table" Edition of Lives & Times

The "coffee table" deluxe edition of Lives & Times has been a great success. The paperback version has without doubt been the most popular, but I have sold plenty of hardbacks too, including one to fellow fan of The Alarm, Pete Bloomfield, photographed here just after I gave him his copy in Llandudno a couple of years ago. The hardback edition is just that extra bit special, and the print quality of the photos is superb. The fundraising book features my encounters with many famous people supporting me, and plenty of everyday people too.It is now almost three years since the book was published, and alongside the other items I have been selling, it has raised over £4000 so far, but there is no reason why it shouldn't sell more. To buy a copy of either the hardback or paperback please use the contact form or send me an email.

If you are looking for a slightly different book, then this book makes a great read, and the perfect book to have as coffee table reading. I still have a few copies available from my ETSY online store, and they are currently £27.49 including postage, and as with everything I sell, all proceeds raised are donated to Bowel Cancer UK. 

Bowel cancer is the second highest cancer killer in the UK. 16,000 people die each year, but if detected early it can be successfully treated in over 90% of cases. Early detection is key, as when detected at the later stage 4 only 7% of patients survive five years. My mum was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2012, and died in August 2016. Everything I now do is being done in her memory.

Setting A Deadline

I have always said that the new fundraising book, The Record, will be ready when its ready, and I wouldn't be putting myself under any time pressure. So here I am setting a deadline for the end of this year... This deadline is in fact for the finishing of the meetings and photos for the book.This will still mean that the book probably won't see the light of day until next spring.

There are sensible reasons for this. The people I first met at the start of this adventure will have been waiting over two years for the book to be finished, which is quite a long time, and already quite a few chapters will need updating, so if I carry on much longer it could almost become out of date before it's published. I've also been waiting of some people who said yes to come through for me, and some have gone very quiet on me, so how long do I wait in the hope that I get to meet them? I'd love everyone to be in the book who has said yes, but I can't force people, and I want people to want to be part of it, rather than for me to hassle them into it. I think that in some cases waiting for a couple of years is long enough though, and it's time to draw a line under it. 

The other thing that I need to sort out is a book cover design. This is way out of my capabilities to do myself, so I will need help with this. There are one two ideas floating around and possible offers of help, but if anyone reading this would like to get involved, then please do get in touch with me.

Regardless of who else I manage to meet before the end of the year, this book has already gone past my expectations in terms of who I've met, and I can't wait for it to be seen and read by as many people as possible. 

It's been an exciting time for the bowel cancer community this month. The recent news that screening in England and Wales will be reduced from 60 to 50 is excellent news, but we now need to know when this be rolled out. And Bowel Cancer UK (Beating Bowel Cancer Together) is the new name for the charity following the merger of Beating Bowel Cancer and Bowel Cancer UK at the beginning of the year. The new brand was unveiled at the beginning of this month, and all of us connected to the charity have certainly been lifted by this.

But let's not forget that bowel cancer remains the second biggest cancer killer in the UK taking 16,000 lives each year, and much work needs to be done to get this figure down..

Bowel Cancer Screening Age Reduced From 60 to 50 in England and Wales

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Today the news broke that the bowel cancer screening age will be reduced from 60 to 50 in England and Wales. This is the result of a lot of hard work by an awful lot of people putting pressure on government to make this change to match Scotland, where the screening age is already at 50.

I must give a very special mention to the inspirational and quite wonderful Lauren Backler, who has turned the devastation of losing her mum, Fiona, to bowel cancer in 2015, into an amazing campaign to get the bowel cancer screening age reduced from 60 to 50. Lauren set up an online petition , which has had almost 500,000 signatures. Lauren has appeared across the national media, and has even spoken at Westminster. 

Today's news means that over 4,000 people could have their bowel cancer detected at a much earlier stage, giving them a much greater chance of survival. Lauren's mother would have been screened a number of times if this had been the case, and most likely still be here today. Unfortunately by the time she was diagnosed her condition was terminal, and she lived for just a few months. I know Lauren doesn't want others to go through the devastation that her family has experienced. I am sure that Fiona Backler would be so so proud of what her daughter has achieved.

I was fortunate enough to meet Lauren last year for my forthcoming book. She is a very kind, giving and generous person, but also with a steely determination to achieve a successful outcome to her campaign. Although the reasons why I come into contact with so many people for the book are based on a common loss and sadness due to bowel cancer, the wonderful thing is how new friendships are being made with some very special people, and she is certainly one of those.

Jules Peters: My Cancer Journey

Jules and Mike at Abbey Road

On Tuesday night BBC 1 Wales had the first airing of "Jules Peters: My Cancer Journey", which covers Jules journey of recovering from breast cancer, the reconstructive surgery that followed, to rebuilding her confidence, and supporting others. It's a must watch programme available to catch up on BBC iplayer. The show also showed Jules meeting up with the ladies "You Me And The Big C" podcast. One of whom, Deborah James (Bowel Babe) is a stage 4 bowel cancer patient, who I was lucky enough to meet last year for the new book.

I first met Jules, wife of The Alarm's Mike Peters, in the early 2000s at The Gathering in Llandudno - the annual event held in North Wales for a weekend of music by Mike Peters and The Alarm. I first tried to get her to go for printed "poppy" carrier bags, and sure enough the following year I drove to the same event with a car boot full of "Alarm" carrier bags. I can't claim to know her very well, but will always say hello and have a chat with her. Jules was extremely helpful in setting up the photo at Abbey Road of herself and Mike for the chapter about Mike in the Lives & Times book I published in 2015. I'm still hopeful that Jules will be part of the new book if she ever stays still for five minutes, and her feet ever touch the ground!

It's almost two years since mum passed away from bowel cancer. The way I have dealt with bereavement has been to shut down, and detach myself from that painful period. I suppress memories, and have found the fundraising to be quite cathartic as I moved into the next stage of my life. However every so often something will happen that gets through the wall that I have built, and hits you right in the pit of the stomach, bringing back memories and the raw pain that resides somewhere deep inside. In the documentary Jules met Nicola, who is another breast cancer patient still very much in the midst of the disease. The moment she told Jules about the cancer spreading to her brain, shook me to the core, especially when Nicola talked about the brain seizures. 

Mum's illness lasted for four and a half years. Most of her treatment was surgical, and the cancer had spread to her lungs which resulted in four operations to remove cancerous nodules. Mum never let the cancer define her, and she would always count down the days post operation to when she could drive her car again, and most importantly ride her horse. She had such a passion for life. It was only when the cancer spread to mum's brain that things really took a really serious turn for the worse. Treatment options were running out, and the brain seizures became more frequent with increasing consequences. The final seizure left mum paralysed down her right side, and almost speechless. During her 2 months in hospital, the steroids improved her speech and she got a little mobility back in her right side. However, when she was deemed to be terminal, an moved to a nursing home under palliative care, the medication was slowly withdrawn and the everything went backwards. She was at the nursing home for just over a month, and passed away peacefully on August 29th, 2016.

I am not sure quite what I am trying to say here. Perhaps to explain just how a big a deal cancer is, the effect it has on patients and their loved ones. Jules crams so much into her life every day. Bringing up a family, managing The Alarm, being a band member in The Alarm, and giving up a large part of herself to fans every single day, and not forgetting reaching out to fellow breast cancer patients. She is an amazing lady, and an inspiration to many.

To balance things out here on a personal level. Yes the loss of mum, and to be fair also dad some years earlier, has been a devastating blow, and one that I am still coming to terms with. However, when I think about things there is much positivity to take out of those sad events. I have done things that I would otherwise never have done. I've published two books, with a third on the way. I have recently jumped put of a plane. I went to New York for the first time in May. And most importantly it's the many new friendships I have made especially with fans of The Alarm. Their support of my fundraising has been astonishing, and I have gone from being very much a loner at gigs, to someone who can now go to an Alarm concert with the confidence of knowing that there will be many familiar faces to talk to, even in New York. 

So there you go, and I still really know quite what I am trying to say here! Live for the moment, hold on to what you have and those around you, and reach out to others. And watch the documentary! x

Meeting Television Sports Presenter Jim Rosenthal For Bowel Cancer Fundraising Book

I had a really enjoyable time meeting sports presenter Jim Rosenthal in my home town of Maidenhead. He was such an interesting man to talk to, and great fun at the same time. We chatted for over and hour, but if I am honest I could have spent the whole day talking to him. It's going to make for a great chapter in the book, and as well as a great first record, Jim is also very kindly allowing me to use a photo from his personal collection in the book, which is quite wonderful. I'd only made contact with Jim a few days ago, but he came through for immediately, and we arranged this meeting in just a few days. The meeting place was also of great interest, and all will be revealed in the book next year.

The new fundraising booked, to be called The Record, is being written in memory of my mum who passed away from bowel cancer in 2016. All proceeds raised will be donated to Bowel Cancer UK (Beating Bowel Cancer Together). As well as the fundraising, the book will help raise awareness about this awful disease. If detected early it can be successfully treated in over 90% of cases, but this figure drops to just 7% at the late stage 4. At the moment only 15% of patients are detected at stage 1, and so early detection rates need to improve to improve survival rates.

Bowel Cancer UK Charity New Brand is Revealed

Today the new brand of the recently merged charities, Bowel Cancer UK and Beating Bowel Cancer is revealed. The new name is Bowel Cancer UK with the strapline Beating Bowel Cancer Together. Bowel Cancer UK is the UK's leading bowel cancer charity. The new brand has an eye catching new logo modeled by yours truly on one of the charity's brand new t-shirts.

This means that all my own fundraising, in memory of my mum who passed away in 2016, is now supporting Bowel Cancer UK, including the forthcoming book, The Record, which I am hoping to publish next year. Please read the today's press release below about the new brand and the Bowel Cancer UK's hopes for the future.

Below is today's press release

LEADING BOWEL CANCER CHARITY REVEALS NEW BRAND AFTER MERGER

Bowel Cancer UK and Beating Bowel Cancer reveal the new brand after merging in January 2018 to create a future where nobody dies of the disease. Today the charity announces Bowel Cancer UK as the new name, underpinned with the strapline Beating Bowel Cancer Together.

Bowel Cancer UK is determined to save lives and improve the quality of life of everyone affected by the disease. The UK’s leading bowel cancer charity will support and fund targeted research, provide expert information and support to patients and their families, educate the public and professionals about the disease and campaign for early diagnosis and access to best treatment and care.

The charity worked with award-winning brand and communications agency, The Team, to create a modern and vibrant visual identity, which consists of a new logo, font, tone of voice, colour palette and a refreshed website as well as a new name and strapline.

The logo incorporates the Star of Hope, the international symbol for bowel cancer.  It represents hope for the future and celebrates the lives of those we have lost to bowel cancer.  It is used across the US and in several other countries. The Star of Hope is central to the charity’s identity as it strongly resonates with supporters and patients, who are at the heart of what the charity does and the reason they exist.

Deborah Alsina MBE, Chief Executive of Bowel Cancer UK, says: “We are delighted to unveil our new brand. We hope this will enable us to build an active community of patients and their families, clinicians, politicians, academics and others who will join us to ensure that we meet our mission to save lives and improve the quality of life of everyone affected by the disease.  Bowel cancer remains the UK’s second biggest cancer killer, claiming over 16,000 lives a year but we are determined to change that.”

Dan Dufour, Creative Brand Strategist at The Team, said: “There are lots of cancer charity brands in the UK market, so we’ve had to dig deep to differentiate the new Bowel Cancer UK brand. The combination of community action and human authenticity, with hope for the future, will help the new Bowel Cancer UK brand stand-out to inspire more support.”

Almost 42,000 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer in the UK every year. However the disease is treatable and curable especially if diagnosed early. Nearly everyone survives bowel cancer if diagnosed at the earliest stage. However this drops significantly as the disease develops. Early diagnosis really does save lives.

Visit our new look website: bowelcanceruk.org.uk