So much has happened since I last posted so where do I start? Chris and I are settled now in Beaminster Dorset and running Tangerine Cafe and Gallery which we love.

Soon after our move to Dorset we were were invited to the Cancer Research Institute in Cambridge for the unveiling of a new plaque for Mark. I have also spoken at CRUK events and talked to Skin Cancer specialist nurses at one of their conferences. I try as much as possible to continue to raise awareness of cancer generally and skin cancer in particular as Mark is no longer here to do it and it meant such a lot to him.

We are touched that so many people still think about Mark and miss him as we do. So many lovely friends, ours and Mark’s have come to seek us out at Tangerine Cafe and many keep in touch through email, messaging, social media and the post. I love receiving news from Mark’s friends and sometimes unexpected gifts arrive like this one below, in Mark’s memory. We were so touched to receive this from Carla and Spencer.

We continue our fundraising efforts and last October we took apart in Cancer Research Uk’s Stand Up to Cancer appeal as the theme was Sunday Brunch so right up our street.

Like everyone else, the lockdown affected our lives though it was nothing compared to losing Mark. However I began to think that it would be brilliant to create a new anthology as a snapshot of experiences of living through a pandemic. During the first lockdown I put out an appeal for poems, art and diary extracts and received a flood of submissions resulting in the lovely book below that is available to purchase from Poetry Space. It is £15 and all profits go to Mark’s fund for CRUK. We have already added £2000.

That’s all for now, other than to say we have almost reached £324,000 through Mark’s appeal for Cancer Research UK. If you can help us reach half a million then go to Mark’s appeal

I have three dreams in regard to Mark, one is that he’ll walk through our door and say ‘Hi Mum and Dad, I’m here’, the others are to reach half a million pounds in his memory for Cancer Research UK and the other is to see his lovely book: PS I have Cancer become a best seller and maybe even a film one day.

Mark was a young doctor with so much to offer the world and his life was cut short. It is inevitably sad but the main theme is hope and love, and above all this story demonstrates Mark’s passion for life and his faith in science to cure the disease that ravaged and eventually took his life.

The book is available on Poetry Space and on Amazon.