Monday, October 6, 2025

Book club provides vital support to cancer patients thanks to charitable funding

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.”

For more information, please visit their website: www.ulhcharity.org.uk

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our news site - please take a moment to read this important message:

As you know, our aim is to bring you, the reader, an editorially led news site and magazine but journalism costs money and we rely on advertising, print and digital revenues to help to support them.

With the Covid-19 pandemic having a major impact on our industry as a whole, the advertising revenues we normally receive, which helps us cover the cost of our journalists and this website, have been drastically affected.

As such we need your help. If you can support our news sites/magazines with either a small donation of even £1, or a subscription to our magazine, which costs just £27.55 per year, (inc p&P and mailed direct to your door) your generosity will help us weather the storm and continue in our quest to deliver quality journalism.

As a subscriber, you will have unlimited access to our web site and magazine. You'll also be offered VIP invitations to our events, preferential rates to all our awards and get access to exclusive newsletters and content.

Just click here to subscribe and in the meantime may I wish you the very best.

Advertisment












Latest posts

Spells, spirits and frightful fun – the Marshall’s Yard Witchy Fayre returns for Halloween

Costumes at the ready – the annual ‘Witchy Fayre’ is flying back into Marshall’s Yard on Saturday October 25th to celebrate Halloween. Visitors can expect...

East Lindsey boosts funding for groups tackling loneliness

East Lindsey District Council has extended its Social Isolation Grant scheme with an additional £25,000 from the East Lindsey Investment Fund, allowing more community...

Marshall’s Yard strikes gold in 2025 East Midlands in Bloom Awards

The green-fingered team at Marshall’s Yard in Gainsborough are celebrating after achieving the prestigious Gold Award in the annual East Midlands in Bloom Awards. The...

2–4 Market Place welcomes 100 visitors over 2 days in fully-booked Hard Hat Tours launch

100 visitors. 9 tours. 2 days. Caistor’s 2–4 Market Place heritage regeneration project took centre stage during this year’s Heritage Open Days Festival, as...

Grimsby Ice Rink set to welcome skaters back after major upgrade

Grimsby Ice Rink will reopen this Friday following a two-month closure for a full refurbishment of the 50-year-old venue. The six-figure investment has transformed the...

By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. more information

The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this.

Close