Coping with cancer: a true story

In the summer of 2010, I was bluntly told: ‘You have cancer,’ and these would be the words that transformed my world forever. I had been, till then, a renowned portrait photographer, who had published 19 books on famous people in a career that had begun in 1975, when I created three photographic books about the sculptor, Henry Moore

Now, suddenly, I was plunged into a place that seemed both daunting, frightening and where it felt, as a cancer patient, that I no longer had either control or an understanding of what my new life was to be

I decided to write a book, which would help and encourage others, like me, to understand more about the treatment of cancer and to use my photographic skills to help alleviate the fear and the dread of facing this daunting illness by words and images with a powerful message of practical hope

I also decided to include 24 articles, written by experts: medical practitioners, researchers, support staff, therapists, clergy, make-up artists and even a cordon bleu cook

I also asked many of my celebrity ‘sitters’ to write short observations about cancer, which could be used as positive quotes at the start of each chapter

I wanted to share in the most direct manner my own experiences of fighting cancer positively, and with effective guidance on how lighten a cancer patient’s path

Another thought was to give my royalties to the book to Maggie’s Cancer Care Centres. I can only say I was delighted when HRH The Duchess of Cornwall, who is Maggie’s President, offered to write the Foreword