Jim’s Story

Jim, 67, is a businessman from Calver. He was diagnosed with a melanoma in his nose in 2017.

“My background has been at big corporate companies: BMI, GKN, lastly BT in Sheffield. I was in London prior to that. I set up my own business is 1990, providing marketing consultancy and sales training. Over the years, that’s morphed into business coaching, which is what I now primarily do. In between that, I owned and ran a business to business telemarketing company.

“I’ve lived in the Peak District and around Sheffield since 1977, first in a number of villages in the Hope Valley, and then I moved into Sheffield. Now, I live in Calver, in the Peak District.

“I was diagnosed with cancer at the end of 2017 – a melanoma in my nose. It was operated on in February 2018, and thereafter I had radiotherapy. It was during the radiotherapy at Weston Park that I became aware of Cavendish Cancer Care. I saw the notices around, and the different kinds of therapies on offer caught my eye.

Weston Park put me in touch with Cavendish, where I received reiki. After that, I had some acupuncture with a therapist named Kit. Reiki was incredibly relaxing at the time of treatment – the sessions were a real pleasure. With acupuncture, I noticed a great difference after a session. Not only were the sessions themselves enjoyable, but I left feeling much more energised.

I would most certainly recommend Cavendish. It’s a lovely, welcoming haven – the NHS has been brilliant, but as a complementary service to the NHS, it’s hugely beneficial.”

“I think there’s a lot of misunderstanding when it comes to cancer in the workplace. For many people with cancer, there’s no outwardly visible signs. A lot of people I know who’ve got cancer don’t behave any differently, or look any different. So I think workplaces need to understand the different types of cancers and treatments, because they all have an impact on an individual in ways which aren’t necessarily obvious. If an individual is comfortable talking about their illness, they can tell you what it’s all about, and make their boss aware of what they can and can’t do. But a lot of people struggle with that – some are in fear of losing their job, because they can’t work as well or as much as they could before.

I think that it all needs to be out in the open in the workplace – that you have got an illness, and it’s going to affect you. Bosses should then do their best to understand your needs and accommodate you.”

And of course, there’s services like Cavendish on hand to support you. Visiting Cavendish Cancer Care has been a pleasure, right from the first time I came to the centre. What they’ve created is just wonderful: a beautiful building, sympathetically done, and full of lovely people. I can’t thank them enough for all they’ve done.”

Helpful resources

Managing Cancer in the Workplace: A Guide for Employers (Macmillan)

Your Rights at Work: A Guide for Employees (Macmillan)

Developing an Effective Workplace Wellbeing Strategy (Expedite)