Save the radio!

Quentin has asked me to post the following on the blog. He's no luddite and embraces everything digital, but says it's a nonsense to turn off analogue. Which is good news for my little radio in the bathroom, which he usually threatens to replace with a Sonos unit.

Please take the time to read the article by Libby Purves (which has nothing to do with cancer):

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/libby_purves/article6549533.ece

If you are concerned, you can sign the e petition here:

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/AM-FM-Radio/

Thanks to Ben for the tip off.

One week late...

It was my birthday last Monday and I had some fantastic presents, but of course the best was Quentin's clear scan result, hand delivered by an eminent Professor last night.

He said the scan was completely clear and that things "couldn't be better". He did admit that the chances of the cancer returning at some point were at least 60 - 70%, but says he still has treatment ideas up his sleeve if it comes to that.

I don't want to give anyone the wrong impression. Guys, if you don't have cancer, then flowers, jewelry, pamper days etc are still the order of the day. "I'm healthy" may not go down so well with women who expected nothing else.

Fundraising

On Thursday we went to Wigan.

Philip was organising a concert in aid of Prof's work and we didn't want to miss it. We'd first met Philip when he staggered down the corridor to see us, during the first week of the first round of Quent's treatment. Philip was already on his top up and gave us enormous hope as he told us it was all worth it. (We called him "Philip-the-success-story" in those days). He is a lovely man and we've become great friends with him and his equally lovely wife Sue. There's a special bond between us that we don't (and hopefully won't ever) share with any of our other friends. Not exactly John McCarthy and Brian Keenan, but certainly a shared experience of some of the less pleasant moments in life.

The concert was fantastic - Wigan Jazz Youth Orchestra - and worth the 6 hour drive up the M6. (Why are there always accidents between J19 and 21?) Prof was there with his wife, Helen - it was great to meet Helen and to see Prof outside the Christie. I urged him to have a glass of red wine and he took his medicine well - he was probably hoping I would show his talent for encouraging extra doses. Angela, one of the nurses from Nathan House, was also there and greeted Quentin with a cheery "You were the worst IL-2 patient we ever had". (In terms of bizarre side effects.)

The week before, we had been to another Christie's do. In London this time. The hospital wanted to show the medical trust funds that they were a national centre of excellence, worthy of large research grants. We agreed to speak - a "customer voice", telling the story of someone who preferred the Christie to the Marsden. The fact that the treatment was so successful and that Quent had raised money himself for the cause was a bonus - as was the cute, blond toddler in the slideshow. We mixed the family shots with a few gruesome ones of Quent mid-treatment to ensure we tugged on a range of emotional heartstrings.

The draw for the wealthy patrons was an audience with Jenni Murray and Alan Bennett - and so I found myself doing a monologue before the great man himself. It went OK, but I don't think Thora Hurd ever got choked mid-performance, so we're not expecting the phone to ring.