“Experts were once amateurs who kept practicing.” Amit Kalantri, Wealth of Words

Unconscious incompetence – a place so scary we don’t even know we’re in it. Until last year, I somehow assumed that cancer, of any kind, would show up in a blood test. Not as a definitive diagnosis (i.e. they wouldn’t be able to tell you what type of cancer, or how bad it was, or even if it was definitely cancer), but with enough confidence to send you for further tests asap. I also hadn’t realised just how quickly some cancers grow, sometimes killing literally within hours or days of being discovered. How can it be that someone is so very, very ill and yet there are no, or very few, symptoms? Every day is a learning day, and not all of them are enjoyable.

Which is why I was so glad to read in the news recently that a blood test has been developed that might help to catch cancer earlier. It hasn’t yet been validated, and there are plenty more trials to come, but it’s a small flame of hope in tough times.

There are so many things that we never want to have to know about. Another (cancer related) one that I heard about this year (through someone else, not personally) is Maggie’s Centres. Maggie’s is a charity providing free cancer support and information in centres across the UK and online. Their Support Specialists, Psychologists and Benefits Advisors are there, if you or someone you care about has cancer. Through Maggie’s, you can share experiences with others in a similar situation around the kitchen table in a centre or in one of our support groups.

My friend Boo Riley is running 50 miles in January in support of Maggie’s. Boo says “I’m taking on the Maggie’s Run 50 Miles in January Challenge for Maggie’s! Please support me. Together, we can make sure that people with cancer and their families get the support they need. Every donation will make a massive difference. Thank you so much!” You can sponsor Boo and support Maggie’s through her Facebook fundraiser here.

I really hope that you don’t need to know this information. But if you do, I hope it helps.

Sue

© Sue Palmer, The Horse Physio, 2021

Treating your horse with care, connection, curiosity and compassion