Humphrey Bogart David Bowie Nat King Cole JOHN COLTRANE Duke Ellington John Ford Aretha Franklin Joe Frazier Dizzie Gillespie George Harrison

Humphrey Bogart David Bowie Nat King Cole JOHN COLTRANE Duke Ellington John Ford Aretha Franklin Joe Frazier Dizzie Gillespie George Harrison

Audrey Hepburn Bob Marley Dean Martin Steve McQueen Robert Mitchum Jack Palance Lou Rawls Lou Reed Nina Simone John Wayne

Audrey Hepburn Bob Marley Dean Martin Steve McQueen Robert Mitchum Jack Palance Lou Rawls Lou Reed Nina Simone John Wayne

Humphrey Bogart

David Bowie

Nat King Cole

JOHN COLTRANE

Duke Ellington

John Ford

Aretha Franklin

Joe Frazier

Dizzie Gillespie

George Harrison

Audrey Hepburn

Bob Marley

Dean Martin

Steve McQueen

Robert Mitchum

Jack Palance

Lou Rawls

Lou Reed

Nina Simone

John Wayne

WHAT DO THESE PEOPLE HAVE IN COMMON?

THEY ALL DIED OF CANCER...

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Bernard Rhodes 2022

My initial thought they had mixed me up with another person! The consultant sternly warned if not operated on I’ll have 3 months to live! It was total shock….Why specifically 3 months I questioned trying to get a grip of the situation. Apparently, it had spread dangerously far throughout my body, I was stage 4 metastatic. Since that day I’ve had numerous operations to my stomach, liver & lungs, some very upsetting & lengthy. I’ve endured blood transfusions, years of chemotherapy, scans, blood tests all causing much anxiety. It’s mind boggling & freaky. During this nightmare I met many medical people, a few were terrific others terrible.

I’ve experienced grown men, big tough guys, crying in fear before/after being operated on;not out of pain but a lack of identity as you cease existence as a person; you become a Cancer patient. Most drugs prescribed make us passive and demeaned. Some cause body shrinking and weight loss, others harm hair, appetite, taste & smell. People lose their dignity & self-confidence. I certainly don’t want to be treated as such…….Hence a CANCERCLASH

Although plenty of medical guidance is available plus some for faith; there’s no cultural aspect to the process or understanding & concern that its lacking. So, with the knowledge gained I’ve devised a program to share with other creative people, their families & friends providing a parallel path towards dealing with this unwanted intrusion into our lives. I believe cultural interaction is vital,together with good food & regular exercise. My theory is simple, when diagnosed with cancer it must not dominate our minds, then hopefully it will not completely destroy our bodies. Personally, I found consolation through culture. The outcome being I’m still here & looking good! Many are alarmed about the environment which is not fully in our control. However, few are aware of this equally important need, seeing 1 in every 3 of us will be diagnosed with cancer. That’s why…..

You're invited to join us in achieving this, with your stories, music, art, poetry, photos, short films etc....                   action@cancerclash.com