We have recently been speaking with Andy Robinson regarding his journey with cancer and he has kindly allowed us to share his story.

In January 2023, Andy was diagnosed with terminal bowel cancer and as he navigated the ups and downs, and the impossible questions, he made an early decision not to retreat from life but to lean into it. When he was diagnosed, everything changed; plans, assumptions, the future, and one of the biggest shifts was realizing that he was no longer in control of his circumstances. However, he does get to choose how he responds to them. He can’t control the diagnosis, but he can decide how to live today, making sure that he doesn’t waste the time he has now.

One thing that became clear very quickly is that the road Andy now finds himself on can feel incredibly lonely, so he created a free online community for people navigating cancer. It offers people that are walking the same road the opportunity to talk with people who’ve been there or are still there, a place where no one has to feel lonely and where there is support and understanding from people who know exactly how it feels. It is a place to find courage, hope and genuine human connection with others who truly understand: https://www.skool.com/the-big-c-in-me-6613/about

Andy also began to write things down and as a gifted communicator and natural storyteller, it seemed logical that a book should follow. The Big C in Me offers hard-worn, faith-forged wisdom, covering themes from facing a terminal diagnosis to finding unshakeable peace. Written with warmth and humour, and the kind of honesty that only suffering can produce, this is not a book about beating the odds, it is a book about truly living in the middle of them. With a tone that is defiant yet tender, and insights that speak directly into fear, loss and grief, Andy has found a way to turn the question “Will I survive?” to something far more powerful: “How will I live?”  You can purchase the book through a direct link to Amazon, via Andy’s website: https://www.thebigcinme.org/

Although a local man, Andy was not aware of the services that the Mary How Trust provides. He wishes that he had been, as with regular scans there is a possibility that his bowel cancer may have been detected early enough for life-saving treatment. In his own words “ABSOLUTELY! I wish I had known and would encourage everyone to get screened. It’s a No Brainer!”

The Mary How Trust scans for cancer, including bowel cancer, and other life-threatening illnesses, and we recommend a visit every two years.

For further information and to book an appointment, please go to the apply for a health screening page on our website:  https://maryhowtrust.org/apply-for-a-health-screening/ or call our clinic on 01798 877640.