My Story:
Kindness Vs Cancer
LAURA KENDRICK
#KindnessVsCancer
My cancer diagnosis has taken me on the most difficult and life-changing journey over the past 18 months, with overwhelming moments of fear. I’ve lived in a cycle of treatment, side effects, surgery, scans, tests and more tests that has made life unrecognisable. I’m currently undergoing chemotherapy and hoping for further surgery.
Happy times on holiday in 2019 as a family ❤️ my world 💙
“ There’s an urgent need to inject much more humanity into patient care and expand its focus to truly recognise and understand the impact of the mind-body connection.”
The who and why background
I’ve worked passionately for the NHS in human resources throughout my career, spending the last 6 years in senior roles within NHS England and Improvement. My professional commitment to improving patient experience has profoundly aligned on a much deeper and more personal level since my diagnosis. I now have insight into how the current healthcare system needs to evolve the speed and accessibility of its cancer services so more patients can receive cutting edge cancer treatments and survive this disease. I’ve also become aware of the equally pressing and urgent need to inject much more humanity into patient care and expand its focus to truly recognise and understand the impact of the mind-body connection.
Second day in intensive care following major surgery to remove my bowel tumour, full hysterectomy to remove cancer in my ovaries and a wash out and hot chemo. A 12-hour operation known as ‘HIPEC’ in the cancer world.
One of my recent chemo sessions where tiredness has been really catching up with me. I think this photo was right before I fell asleep!
How do we make a change?
Cancer patients deserve to live long and happy lives, either disease-free following successful treatment or managing their disease as a long term condition. We need to raise as much money as possible to fund unique and revolutionary training within our NHS Oncology services and improve the understanding of mind-body connection within the medical community. Funds will also be used to deliver nationwide training to embed those changes into every conversation with a patient.
What can we do?
I like to keep things simple, so my campaign is straightforward – I’m aiming to raise £50,000. There are approximately 60 million people in the UK, and around 40 million are working adults. If everyone who can afford to donated £1 to the #KindnessVsCancer Campaign, we would have a potentially game-changing amount of money! £1 is less than your takeaway cuppa. It might be a quid found down the back of the sofa or even your change when you get home from the shops. Any donation is welcome.
“Imagine what is possible to achieve if everyone who can afford to in the UK donated £1 to the #KindnessVsCancer Campaign.”
My Partners
I’m incredibly honoured to be working with Dr David Hamilton, author of ‘How Your Mind Can Heal Your Body‘ and ‘The Five Effects Of Kindness‘ on this campaign. David has a PhD in organic chemistry and has spent years studying and researching the mind-body connection. He has written 11 books about the power of the mind and had numerous TV appearances, including on the hit Netflix documentary ‘Heal’.
Check out further information on Davids incredible work. https://drdavidhamilton.com
Improving oncology services so that compassionate care becomes standard for every single cancer patient will take time. While we embed these changes, I also want to make a difference to those living with cancer right now. A proportion of the funding raised through my #KindnessVsCancer campaign will be donated to The Hello Beautiful Foundation, a UK cancer prevention charity that offers cancer patients a wide range of healing support.
Hello Beautiful run a variety of free classes for cancer patients at their wonderful space @hellolove in Bloomsbury, London, including sound baths, reflexology, workshops, sound massage and much more. The team also offer virtual support for patients unable to travel, such as meditation, reiki, counselling, individual consultations, non-toxic practice lectures and disco yoga.
They’ve been an enormous help to me since my diagnosis, so please check out their website for further information if you or a loved one are going through a cancer diagnosis.
#KindnessVsCancer
