Author Archives: Dani Akrigg

February 4th was World Cancer Day and Radiotherapy for Life were at an event at the House of Commons trying to raise the awareness of the importance of Radiotherapy in the successful treatment of cancer. RT is severely underfunded and understaffed in the UK (what part of the NHS isn’t, come to that?) and manyContinue reading “World Cancer Day”

It’s the beginning of February and our mild winter is morphing into proper winter. We have storm warnings that we should actually expect for this time of year. Even so the newspapers are full of apocalyptic warning. Batten down the hatches and prepare for Armageddon. I’ve had a bit of a storm myself. Episode 1Continue reading “The calm before the storm Ciara”

One year, one whole year has passed since I scrambled off the linear accelerator treatment table at the Singleton for the last time. I have had a year of incredible ups and downs, of pain and joy, of delight and horror but I’m still here and more or less in one piece. I am notContinue reading “First Anniversary”

A couple of weeks ago I had my first appointment with Alison. She is a lovely lady and we hit it off straight away, swapping tales of CND experiences of our youth; my one Aldermaston march (cheating by just doing the Trafalgar Square beano) and her chaining herself to fences and getting arrested at Greenham.Continue reading “Acupuncture The experiment has started”

Honey is good for you, miles better than sugar. Naturally produced, raw unheated, unrefined honey with the pollen unfiltered has vitamins, enzymes, antioxidants aplenty. Most honey is significantly antibacterial.Some people swear by it to help them with seasonal allergies. It tastes good. Take your pick from any of that I’d like to mention Manuka HoneyContinue reading “Honey”

Yesterday was my 10month anniversary, or to be more precise 43 weeks and 3 days since my last radio session. While my general fitness marches on I am still working hard on the saliva front. I can manage most foods, needing a drink with only the driest but I am getting quite frustrated with myContinue reading “10 Months on”

This last couple of days I have been wrapping presents for the Radiographers on LINAC 1 and the Head and Neck Nurse Support Team at The Singleton Hospital There’s a bottle of Prosecco and a jar of our honey and I might add some chocolates too. Last year I was getting zapped daily and IContinue reading “Christmas is Coming”

More ammunition Yesterday the BBC reported was some excellent news about a drug trial for head and neck cancer that was advanced, had recurred or had spread. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-50507069 In a trial, pembrolizumab kept head and neck cancers at bay for an average of two years – five times longer than under chemotherapy. The patients alsoContinue reading “Immunotherapy”

Today I woke up to this The day proved to be a Shepherd’s Delight not a warning. The sun shone and it certainly made me feel alive. Time to get out of this pit of indolence and get fit again. I used to run. Nothing serious since that London Marathon more than ten years ago,Continue reading “Getting Fitter”

Mooching around the internet, as you do, I found this. It’s one of many articles from USA hospitals. Quality of life is so important especially as so many younger people are being diagnosed, cured and living for many years with the sequels of radiation. Then I found this So disappointing. We can only hope thatContinue reading “Proton Therapy. The future”