For the 5th clash of the titans charity football match known across Thanet as “El Classicoast,” the players have allowed me (Jim Biddulph, Margentina) to once again select the organisation for which we will be asking donations for. 

There is a very personal reason behind this. 

Having been diagnosed with T-cell Lymphoma back in February 2019, I have since been given full remission status following a hefty batch of  treatment; namely a chemo-radiotherapy sandwich.

It was a rollercoaster ride of a year and I’m delighted and feel incredibly lucky to play my part in this glorious friendly fixture once again.

The medical input involved in my process is insurmountable in terms of aiding my physical wellbeing, but the support from those around me and notably the MacMillan trust has made the impact of what is a life changing and unprecedented experience, feel manageable.

Whilst many reading this will have some sense of what happens when you or a loved one are diagnosed with some form of cancer; the figures are now believed to equate to 1 in 2 of us, I think it’s vitally important to explain and underline just how significant MacMillan are for a cancer patient.

For starters, MacMillan nurses are with you from the moment of diagnosis and they stay with you every single step of the way. But what has struck me most is the sheer level of input they have in your journey, the incredible knowledge they have of your medical condition and how to deal with it and the dedication and patience that they show you whilst you ask endless questions, get upset and generally don’t know what to do with yourself. 

If, like me, you have a preconceived notion of a MacMillan nurse offering you a cup of tea and the occasional biscuit then I’d like to set the record straight for you now. I’ve witnessed my MacMillan nurse, Fran, be a sounding board for my specialist doctor on multiple occasions and not one single medical procedure or date of appointment has been signed off by the doc without Fran’s authoritative approval first. The incredible specialist ward in whilst Fran works is even funded by MacMillan.

More locally, MacMillan nurses have used their specialist knowledge to recommend how I approach my diet, exercise and the sun (the radiation from radiotherapy is not so good for your skin,) prescribed me with useful antidotes to an extremely sore nose and throat as well as helping me get financial support (i’m self employed.) 

They do all of this with a smile and a reassuring air that is priceless. Getting cancer is fucking scary but MacMillan are automatically on hand to give support, expert knowledge and with it, hope.

Donating a little to them now will help make millions of people’s journey with cancer a lot more bearable. They do also give you cups of tea.