Our Stories

The "Our Stories" Project aims to give a voice to local people affected by cancer, and to help record and share their stories.

Hearing how others have walked a similar path can be encouraging and inspiring, particularly when times are tough.

The stories included in the project to-date have come from both patients and carers - each is unique and special in its own way.

Thank you to all involved

Glennis Squires

Glennis Squires

Glennis and John Squires are partners in life and in business. 

Their relationship has a quiet strength; they've been married for five decades - for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health.

Judy von Chrismar

Judy von Chrismar

Exactly a year to the day after Judy von Chrismar’s cancer diagnosis, she decided to write about it.
She had beaten cancer 12 years before, but this time she struggled and was perplexed when she found herself sinking into a dark hole.
Krissa Wilkinson

Krissa Wilkinson

Like so many of us, Krissa Wilkinson would bask in the summer sun in her youth, in search of a golden tan. Krissa agreed to share her story as a means of highlighting the stark contrast in awareness regarding the dangers of sun exposure compared to her youth.

Else & Robert

Else & Robert

“It wasn’t what he expected,” Else said. Within a few weeks, Robert had major surgery, described by Else as “horrific”. “Afterwards he had a colostomy bag, and was being drip-fed; he lost over 20 kilograms [in weight] in a very short time.”

Janet Cohen - Advice to Herself

Janet Cohen - Advice to Herself

Janet Cohen has a type of cancer that is not curable, but can be treated with life-extending medication.

These are the sage words of advice she wrote to herself.

Janet Cohen - Rediscovering Myself

Janet Cohen - Rediscovering Myself

Milestone birthdays can be difficult. They often force us to review how quickly time marches on, and that perhaps our best years may be behind us.

Janet Cohen’s 60th birthday in 2013 came soon after a very unexpected twist in her life story – a lung cancer diagnosis.

Rosemarie Piontek

Rosemarie Piontek

When Rosemarie Piontek noticed a lump in her breast, she knew she needednto take action immediately.

Her GP must have felt terrible when she broke the news that it was cancer, as Rosemarie's husband Rainer had died just two weeks earlier.

Annie Georgeson

Annie Georgeson

When Annie Georgeson met architect and designer Ian Bailey in 1977, little did she know they would go on to develop a magnificent 37-year partnership. 

The pair shared so many similar views, talents, hopes and desires

Marg Foran

Marg Foran

Margaret (Marg) Foran has discovered so much about herself since she was first diagnosed with cancer in 2005.

A natural communicator, who is at the same time outgoing and shy, Marg has unearthed a love of words and writing. 

Janet Cohen - A Matter of Time

Janet Cohen - A Matter of Time

Outwardly, many people living with terminal cancer can appear to be living an ordinary, ‘normal’ life.

Janet Cohen resembles lots of other ‘outdoorsy’, 60-something women.