How Cancer Saved My Life

The Jeni Barnett Afternoon Show on LBC

2008-09-20T05:18:00.002+01:00

I had about a days notice that I might be asked to contribute to the Jeni Barnett Show. She is an excellent presenter on LBC and I often have her on in the background when I need the radio when I'm working. I like the programme because it's always fresh and spontaneous often fascinating and entertaining. With that flavour and underlying sense of London running through which I love.
So I knew they were interested in discussing How Cancer Saved My Life in the context of Art and its therapeutic value in the healing process. As often happens you get the call from the programme producer and your expecting to be researched with a chat about what your going to be talking about. Instead it was
"hello John, are you happy to talk to Jenni? She has some questions for you"
"Yes"
"just putting you through" And then your on live radio. You think your talking to London but within five minutes I had an email from a nurse working in Saudi Arabia who had been listening on the internet.
Anyway, it was the usual thing where I thought the interview was about 3 minutes when it must have been nearer 20. It was very enjoyable and Jeni is so enthusiastic, apprecative and flattering about anything that offers hope and inspiration to us all. And I enjoyed being told how "inspirational" I was.......... several times.

Super Sunshine Friday

2008-09-19T11:09:00.002+01:00

Been working since dawn and as the sun came up my studio was filled with light, you could almost touch it, felt like velvet. So then I turn on the radio and there's a well known presenter talking about someone "battling with cancer" etc. etc. It will be wonderful when you hear such high profile people talking about living with cancer, living with illness, because surely this is the reality the acceptance of which can be liberating and bring healing to the spirit.

New Paintings.

2008-09-02T22:21:00.002+01:00

These new paintings are different. They are landscapes but more like internal landscapes. Rich in colour although I am using more of the earth colours. They are vibrant with no sign of cancer.

New Season!

2008-09-01T17:05:00.006+01:00

So it's back to work on book related stuff now everyone's getting back from their summer holidays.
Meanwhile the new paintings continue even though I haven't any idea where I'm going with them. Just trying to paint freely, without preconceptions. Having fun searching to find what's going on in the deep subconscious!
I continue to get consistently moving messages through the HCSML website from people affected by cancer which I respond too as best as I can. I'm not a proffessional and I may not have many answers but being able to identify seems to be what helps and what people are looking for.

Late Summer Update

2008-08-25T13:53:00.003+01:00

I'm back blogging after a couple of weeks of playing with my paints.
For the last year I've been working on paintings and images inspired by The Book.
Their are now two groups of paintings touring the country for the next five years.
It's been great to relax, experiment and see what happens. I will be keeping you informed on all developments with the paintings, exhibitions and The Book.
There's that "back to school" feel in the air and I am looking forward to seeing how the painting develops and where The Book is going to take me over the next few months!

More Exhibition News

2008-07-24T09:59:00.004+01:00

I will be showing a small group of paintings and copies of The Book will be available at The Hampstead Garden Suburb Exhibition at The Main Hall, Central Square, NW11 7BN and Joseph's Book Store, 1257 Finchley Road, NW11 OAD.

The exhibition opens with Private Views at both venues on Sunday 27th July 12noon-5pm and continues 28th July-10th August. RSVP info@artsandcraftsonline.org

The event is presented in association with:-
The Odette Gibert Gallery- http://www.odettefineart.com/
Arts and Crafts Online- http://www.artsandcraftsonline.org/
Joseph's Bookstore - http://www.josephbookstore.com/

Paintings in Hospitals

2008-07-24T09:02:00.002+01:00

For more exhibition info and Paintings in Hospitals go to http://www.paintingsinhospitals.org.uk/

"In Search of Beauty and Wellbeing"

2008-07-24T08:39:00.005+01:00

So now there is a second group of ten paintings on show at The Menier Gallery, Menier Chocolate Factory, 51 Southwark Street, London, SE1 1RU. The paintings are part of Paintings in Hospitals Annual Summer Exhibition a showcase particularly for all their clients to see what's available. The exhibition runs from 23rd July-14th August with private views 30th July, 7-8.30pm and Tuesday 5th, 12-2pm. Check their site for daily opening times. You are very welcome.

The exhibition is called "In Search of Beauty and Well Being" and I shall be giving one of my talks at 6.30.pm on the 30th just before the private view.

Like the first group of paintings now showing at The Great Western Hospital Gallery, Swindon, this group will be touring the U.K. for the next five years, organised and curated by Beth Moseley and Paintings in Hospitals.

The Great Western Hospital (Swindon General)

2008-07-04T06:52:00.002+01:00

I've been busy in my studio working on the second group of paintings that will be touring (UK) hospital galleries and associated public spaces for the next five years. This group will be on show from the 23rd of July at The Menier Gallery, London Bridge.
Check out www.paintingsinhospitals.org.uk for more information.

Meanwhile the show is already on the road with a group of 10 paintings, selected from the exhibition at The Chelsea and Westminster Hospital Gallery Show, which was showing January to March, earlier this year.
The first exhibition of this group of paintings opened last week on the 25th June at The Great Western Hospital in Swindon, Wiltshire. In the new designated space with new lighting the paintings look great and are on show through to November. The Hospital Gallery is in the heart of this vast vibrant, brimming with people, brand new, gleaming, 21st Century Hospital and in the short time I was in the exhibition several people were stopping and contemplating the paintings.
I had been invited to celebrate the opening of the exhibition with a presentation on The Book and the paintings that been informed and inspired by my experience of cancer.
I gave my talk accompanied by my slide show of the 36 paintings in the book in a lecture room to an audience of what must have been about 50, who came from everywhere. Nurses, patients, The Chaplin, art therapists, cancer care group representatives, administrators were all there.
I'm really enjoying these talks and unlike the radio and television you are there with the reaction and you can feel the laughter and see the tears, a wonderful shared experience. And I leave them to go back and look at the paintings maybe in a more personal and informed light and encourage others to go enjoy them too. (I sold a stack of books too).
As with The Chelsea and Westminster I've had extraordinary feedback already. I always seem to impress The Priests and The Chaplins .The Chaplin at The Hospital sent a lovely appreciative email and I've received messages from patients and nurses and care workers.
I had a long talk with the lovely Sarah from The Thames Valley Cancer Network and we are going to work together on some presentations for her groups in the South West. Her job title is "Macmillan Facilitator for User Involvement and Patient Information", some job title?

It is amazing that after all these years of living, working and showing in the rarified atmosphere of The London/"Bond Street"/ Internatinional/Art Fair World to be recieving such an exciting and moving direct public reaction to my work.
There is so much more to report on just in this last week but when it comes down to it I am a painter and I need to get back to slaving over a hot studio! (more like , playing with my paints) I must remember to say more about Trinny and Susannah. More soon!

Surviving Trinny and Susannah

2008-06-30T09:29:00.002+01:00

So I went through the whole proccess of being filmed and researched and interviewd in "The Body Booth" and I have to say I was a little nervous when I watched the first few minutes of "The Great British Body"! As I realised what the programme was all about and where it was going it was back to looking at the telly through my hands and those half closed eyes where you don't want to look and try and see at the same time.

As it unfolded I felt safe and confident that my contribution wasn't any where near freaky or "jumping up and down, look at me" enough to be included. I got away with a brief two second face shot but I was still amazed to hear how many people had spottted me. I'm not complaining though, it was good to be involved and was pleased I had the courage to do it. I also realise that I need to research the programme makers as much as they research me. Another insight on the road of discovery as the HCSML phenomenon grows and prospers and finds its way out into the world.

Trinny and Susannah, "The Final Frontier"

2008-06-02T17:13:00.003+01:00

The response to How Cancer Saved My life continues, apart from the book sales there's been the newspaper articles, the radio interviews and the exhibitions. There's been all sorts of messages through email and the blog and some old fashioned telephone calls to the publisher. It's becoming a phenomenon with it's own life and momentum.

So now rather than promotion it seems that responding to demands from wherever they come from is required in taking the book out into the world. Our very creative, hardworking and inspirational Project Manager, Nikki Newman continues to organise, oversee and orchestrate all of this. The exciting thing is we just don't know what is going to happen next.

So a couple of weeks ago Nikki was contacted by a producer from ITV on behalf of the makers of the new Trinny and Susannah series , "The Great British Body", (goes out 2/3/4 of June 9pm). They had picked up on all the interest in the book. They were fascinated by my story and asked me to be involved in the programme. They were particularly interested in my "living with cancer" story and more specifically of course, my story of Penile Cancer and the fact that I have survived with a penis and that it still works. Well I always said that one of the themes and intentions of the book was to open up discussion about all of this and now that I'm succeeding I better seize and enjoy such an opportunity.

Who knows what will end up in the programme and when but I ended up being interviewed, (near Russell Square) in a booth on a couch looking at myself in a mirror (like Big Brother, not that I've paid that show any attention!!!).

There were questions that encouraged me to talk about my story and like your in this unreal world, a new experience, just going along with it. I forgot I was being filmed just talking to this God or Angel like voice from beyond! I was speaking about how I had made a decision to resist the surgical options and I was pleased that my penis was still intact and functioning (with slight alterations caused by a circumcision) at which point the voice said

would you like to pick up the hand held camera and show us?

I felt relaxed and just did it, I was not ashamed. All in the cause of art and literature and a greater understanding.

This was like "The Final Frontier" and a wonderful, even sensational feeling of liberation that after all these years of talking about it etc. etc. etc. there it was for millions of people to witness. I have spoken about it, written about it, lectured about it, painted about it, on occasions avoided talking about it, been interviewed about it and now it truely is Out In The Open.

I wait in excited anticipation as this remarkable story unfolds.

Glad to be back!

2008-05-19T07:50:00.003+01:00

I've been kept away from these pages for several weeks now all because of the nasty, debilitating condition of "celulitis". These attacks occur because of my damaged lymphatic system as a result of surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. This has left my body vulnerable to infections that enter through the skin,(hence the noun cellulitis), for which I now have no natural defence.
This manifests it's self as a traumatic episode which has symptoms resembling an intense dose of flu with swollen limbs. The body and skin are hot to touch but I feel shiveringly cold. It is very dangerous not to get immediate treatment in the form of various penicillins taken orally or intraveneously. Getting immediate medical attention for one of these seemingly totally random attacks is vital but the most difficult aspect of this condition are the long periods of being laid low sometimes for weeks as if you've been struck down by an illness like that awful ME. You just can't do anything you just have to take it easy, sit it out and wait to get well.
I often can not imagine ever being able to work again or function as before but I hang on to the memory that if I continue to do the right things and take care of myself, it passes.
Then often long after I've totally surrendered I do start to get well and I have the wonderful experience of beginning to feel well again and it is like being "born again"!
So this all continues the theme and discussion of "Living with Illness" And my appreciation of living each day as a cancer surviver. There's been no battle there's been no fight, there's no victory. I live with the consequences of being a host to cancer. The body will never be the same as before cancer but the spirit has endless opportunities for growth and hope not only for oneself but for others too.
So it's another day and it's back to work and another chance to celebrate my returning energy and lust for life.

London Book Fair

2008-04-15T11:02:00.002+01:00

The Book is at The London Book Fair at Earl's Court this week, 14th-16th. I will be there tomorrow checking out the world of publishing.

The Chelsea and Westminster Hospital Exhibition

2008-04-07T08:05:00.006+01:00

After three months of hanging in the Hospital Gallery at The Chelsea and Westmister, the paintings were returned to my studio last week. I have been busy working with Beth (Moseley) from Paintings in Hospitals and preparing two sets/groups of paintings which will be touring the U.K. over the next five years.

I really enjoyed working with Alex Minton (Hospital Arts) and his team in what for me was a new experience in exhibiting. It was fun showing in such a public space and I also enjoyed talking to the Staff Patients and for that matter all comers, you never know where feedback and response to the work is coming from.

On the day I did one of my formal talks in the Hospital Gallery, I got there early to have my photo taken for a newspaper article. I was hanging around the exhibition waiting and there was a man looking intensely at my paintings. I asked him if he was enjoying the exhibition and how he got to be looking around. He said he had just seen a consultant and they were doing tests for cancer. He was in a state of shock and couldn't leave the hospital, a staff member had told him about my paintings and that it might be helpful for him to take a look. I talked him through the show and invited him to stay for my talk.

Simon was at the talk and stayed for tea, after which he said he felt he could face up to what was happening in his life and was amazed that he'd even found himself laughing that day. We keep in touch and he is doing O.K. This is one of many lovely stories which have resulted from the publication and the continuing journey of HCSML.

The mosquito phenomenon

2008-04-07T07:52:00.002+01:00

In answer to radiotherapybob and many others The Independent article spoke in error of the reason why the mosquitos were dying on my arm. It said that the mosquitos would land on me then after taking a bite would roll over and die (which is true) but this was a result of the chemotherapy and all the toxic drugs in my blood stream rather than anything to do with radiotherapy treatment. I hope this clears that up, not that it makes any difference to the mosquitos!

Easter Weekend and Radio interviews.

2008-03-24T18:02:00.005Z

I've been working on paintings to be included in the UK. Hospitals touring exhibition. The tour kicks off at the begining of April at the close of the amazingly successful Exhibition at The Chelsea and Westminster Hospital.

Elisa just called me from The BBC Radio London Late show to confirm that I'm on The Jamoke Fashola Show tonight around 10.15 p.m and they are arranging a taxi home for about 11.30 so I'll have a great chance to "carry the message" and maybe talk to a few listeners too.

It's the Nick Ferrari Breakfast show tomorrow 25th at 9.45 a.m.

Watch these pages for further exciting developments!

More Radio Interviews!

2008-03-21T12:07:00.003Z

I'm being interviewed about my work and The Book on Monday evening, 24th sometime between 10pm and 2am on the Late Show on BBC Radio London.

Later in the week I'll be on the Nick Ferrari Breakfast Show on LBC.

Happy Easter!

Chatting with Leslie on the Golden Gate!

2008-03-18T14:29:00.003Z

Leslie called me called me yesterday, from her car as she was on her way to work. Even though we haven't seen each other since we met in California about ten years ago we have kept in touch. She has a wide experience of working with artist's, curating and promotion in the media. She loves the project and the expanding web site too with all its new links and features. We talked and she described the early morning sunshine glistening on The San Fracisco Bay as she drove across the Golden Gate Bridge. Leslie is a Real Golden California Girl with long blonde hair and a vivacious personality. A lovely vision as the freezing rain danced on my roof on a chilly London, late afternoon. We were talking about the book and I told her of The Oprah "project". I was thinking about the thing where we are all six people from anybody in the world ( or whatever that one is) and she said she wasn't sure about Oprah but she could get to Larry King in three. So we are talking again soon!!!
On the subject of our quest for world domination there is a shop on The Isle of Wight who last week bought five books for stock.

We're back after some technical problems!

2008-03-16T06:28:00.005Z

It's been 3 days since I've been able to post anything, (various technical problems) and there's always something happening with The Book to catch up on.

I remember many of my dreams which are often quite vivid. I know I'm O.K. when I'm dreaming about my work and sometimes I will dream about paintings or sculptures that I haven't made yet which I then go on to use. Many times since the conception of How Cancer Saved My Life (HCSML for future reference) I've had dreams about making the book and it's life out in the world after publication. You know like book signings with no people in strange places and at the other extreme being feted and mobed. Maybe I will talk more about these another time but recently, about a week ago there was one I want to mention. There has been a great response to the book with sales going well and much interest in the press eg. The Independent and radio interviews such as Norfolk local radio and BBC World Service, (see link), my sub conscience obviously has bigger plans, like world awareness for the book. Well after all there is The World on the front cover which signifies it's universal message and appeal! I dreamt that it was Christmas time and I was appearing on the Oprah Winfrey show. It felt warm and good, not a scarey dream but a safe dream.

At one of our lovely meetings with Guy and Nikki, at the publishers BolamRose, last week I said "never mind Richard and Judy and Alan Titchmarsh, what about Oprah? I've had this dream of doing this book which charts how we get The Book on Oprah". Everybody said "GREAT, let's do it!" So this is going to be another strand or plot line to follow in the "Continuing Story" (think Hollywood Film advert voice) of the "Moving and Inspirational Book", that's in my voice of HCSML.

Outlook on BBC World Service

2008-03-13T08:12:00.005Z

It was fascinating to be taken into the studio in Bush House even though I was a little nervous. I had no preconceptions just going with the flow. I was seated amongst banks of machines, computers, coats and handbags. "you will be going into the studio at 6 minutes past one and when the correspondent finishes talking about blogging in Saudia Arabia, you move in to his seat and then it will be you" That was it. The next thing I knew there was a big red light glowing and Fred Dove, the presenter was asking me, "so how did cancer save your life?" It seemed like only seconds later Fred was winding up the interview. Of course all will be fully revealed in the book, "How Cancer Saved My Life, My BBC Bush House Experience". Anyway all went well and the interview has been published on the BBC site to which there is a link here.

Interview with Fred Dove on BBC World Service

2008-03-11T13:37:00.012Z

The interview was broadcast in the UK this morning around 10.20 am. There's a link to the programmes web site and you'll see a picture of me posing outside Bush House. In the next 24 hours the interview will be available on the Outlook page, that's if it's not there already. The story of the interview will be on these pages soon! Click here to listen to the broadcast.

"Outlook" on BBC World Service, Interview.

2008-03-10T19:31:00.003Z

I think the interview will be ready for broadcast tomorrow 11th of March. Just waiting for confirmation and times from the BBC producer, then I will post them.

Outlook on BBC World Service

2008-03-10T08:37:00.002Z

In anticipation of my interview later on today and as backgound info, I'm going to list some key organisations that I am involved with and are worthy of attention. So I don't have to worry about getting them right! www.cancer-resource-centre.org.uk who are working hard at helping people "live with cancer"(they do this extraordinarily), a strong theme in my book.
www.sharons-trust.org.uk who are doing wonderful work especially in supporting the young, go look at their sights! Then there's www.hospitalarts.co.uk who led by Alex Minton are resposible for my exhibition at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital Gallery in The Fulham Road London where I see the arts (not just visual, they have opera singers, singing to the patients etc) fulfilling a powerful role. And there has been an amazing response to The Exhibition which I will get back to later. www.paintingsinhospitals.org.uk is another enlightened organisation who I will be working with over the next five years, (I have to say "God willing" as my Auntie used to say). They provide touring exhibitions for Hospitals throughout the U.K. I will be doing my talks and lectures at many of these hospitals along with other to be announced venues.
O.K. that's it for now next stop Bush House to see BBC World Service!

Independent 4th of March/ life style section

2008-03-09T20:08:00.006Z

"My very private hell" was the headline for a great feature on my story and The Book, "How Cancer Saved My Life". We've had a fantastic response with orders for the book and a number of inspirational emails and even some hilarious dicussion on at least one web site. The Priest who pronounced the book "A Holy Book of Healing" loved the article too, I forwarded his comments and his "blessings" to the Independent Journalist who was touched and amazed as he said that he rarely got such feedback especially from a Priest.

All sorts of other feedback which I will report on in the future but the main response that I concern myself with this evening is my interview for BBC World Service. A producer from The Outlook programme, which goes out on Monday 10th at 1.30pm and then repeated, contacted me through BolamRose the publisher last Friday. I've been invited to be interviewed about the book, my story and my art, so the whole world will hear all about it. I'm naturally very excited and look forward to reporting on the experience. I'm off to prepare myself for "questioning"!

My friend the Priest

2008-03-05T14:53:00.002Z

left message saying The book was Holy book of healing.