Cancer survivor's book to help them help you

The book, A Patient's Perspective on Cancer, is Margaret Seed's follow-up to her 1999 book which focused on her experience of fighting breast and bowel cancer.

More than 200 copies of "Cancer -- A Patient's Thoughts" have been bought by local hospitals and handed out to patients who have either been newly diagnosed or, like Margaret, currently in remission from cancer, which she was diagnosed as having in 1992.

It has been supported by personal letters from the Duchess of Kent and raised more than £2,000 for the Cancer Research Campaign.

The Christie Hospital in Manchester has benefited from £1,800 which it will plough into its research of breast cancer.

Margaret, 50, of Glendale Drive, Mellor, hopes her follow up -- which will be handed out to health care professionals, giving them an insight into what it is like to have the disease in a bid to improve they way they deal with patients -- will be just as well received.

She said: "With my first book I wanted to reach fellow cancer patients on a wider basis, because I know how isolated and desperate people can be when told they have cancer.

"Reaching and helping other cancer sufferers has always been my main aim and this second book I have written is for health professionals to try and help them understand as better as patients.

" I believe nobody can fully understand what it is like to have cancer unless you have been there and worn the 'T' shirt."

Margaret, a medical secretary for 25 years, got the idea for the book after she was invited to address the annual meeting of the College of Radiology in Manchester to give a cancer patients' perspective.

Professor Tony Howell, of Christie, said: "The new book is excellent and Margaret really deserves support."

Margaret's first book is still available from the Cancer Research Campaign priced £2. Regional spokesman Alan Charnley said it was still selling very well. For more information call the Cancer Research Campaign 0161 772 5555.