A former colleague from Channel 4 kindly sent me this wonderful book of poems by Lemn Sissay out of the blue. Thank you Jane! It arrived on my doormat this morning like a little ray of sunshine and I love it. It is a handbag sized bright yellow tome, perfect for carrying to appointments. I…

The past few days have prompted an unexpectedly profound reflection in me on what it is to want to live. Not bravado or courage, just stoicism and a strong attachment to life. This was prompted by an ancestral vision during a somewhat stressful wisdom tooth extraction, a trip to see the musical Hades Town and…

Finally, after 8 weeks of medical mayhem, a quiet month arrives like a lull in the storm. A chance to take stock and get the necessary done before treatment starts. There is a schedule and a rhythm to this mirror world of being a cancer patient with secondaries and I realise I am being acclimatised.…

I have noticed that posts get over 500 views when there’s an emergency or some drama. Old TV habits die hard. At Channel 4 we were aware that the Asian and Black audiences went up when you put ‘Secret’ and ‘Genius’ in the title. So today I am aiming to be very dull. No clickbait…

3.10 in cancer ward F. I haven’t slept yet. They took me for an X-ray around midnight insisting on taking me everywhere in a wheelchair. I feel like a fraud when I do a Little Britain and walk to the machine. The nurses are great here and I learn about their lives as night workers,…