When Joe was diagnosed with prostate cancer in November 2020, little did he know that a book club would provide him with a lifeline to help cope with living with the disease.
Joe, a retired headteacher from Lincoln was not prepared for the effects hormone therapy would have on his body as he tried to cope with hot flushes, emotional turmoil, sleeplessness and reduction of masculine parts.
He found the book club, run by Annie Theed, a Macmillan breast cancer care co-ordinator at the Breast Cancer Clinic in Boston Pilgrim Hospital, a wonderful way to talk about coping with cancer.
Joe said: “I was undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy and then two of my brothers died in 2022 from cancer, one very unexpectedly and it became an emotional time for me.
“I soon realised that reading offered a welcome distraction from the stress and anxiety of living with cancer even if for a short time. It also gave me the chance to talk to others going through similar circumstance as myself.
“It is something to look forward to when the book drops through the letterbox. Some books I enjoy and other less so. It’s a subjective thing – we are unique individuals with different likes, dislikes and hobbies but with one thing in common – cancer.”
The book club was started in 2020 by Annie to keep in touch with patients diagnosed with cancer during the COVID pandemic.
Annie said: “We quickly realised that many of our patients were isolated, with no contact from anyone. So, with the help of funding from United Lincolnshire Hospitals Charity, we started the book club.
“Five years later and the club has grown to become a vital online meeting place for cancer patients providing up-to-date information and support for its members. Annie has created a family atmosphere where people feel relaxed and can talk openly.”
Charity manager, Ben Petts is delighted in the Book Club’s success. He said: “As the club meets online, it means anyone in Lincolnshire with a cancer diagnosis can join. The cost of a book could be a lot for some families to find each month; yet by providing this funding, we have ensured the book club is inclusive to everyone.
“The book club is just one project supported by United Lincolnshire Hospitals Charity. Thanks to the generosity of people living and working in Lincolnshire, we can support the county’s hospitals to deliver outstanding care to patients and their families by funding those extras that cannot be provided by the NHS alone.”
