Book launched to tell stories of cancer survival

TEN of the city's cancer survivors came together to launch a book aimed at providing hope to those newly diagnosed with cancer.

The book, The Cancer Survivors' Club, is the brainchild of Portishead writer Chris Geiger, who was himself diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma when he was just 23.

Chris Geiger with Jessica Smith, Dave Mason, Mark Gillett, Kathleen Giles, Abbie Sparks, Barbara Conway, Jason Edgar, Claire Duffett and Clare O'Shea BRJK121114A-002_C

"After my diagnosis I wanted to read a positive story of cancer survival," the 45-year-old said. "All too often, especially in those days, a cancer diagnosis felt like a death sentence.

"I got a lot of hope from reading the autobiography of Bob Champion, the steeple-chase jockey who survived cancer.

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"It held me together, especially in those first few months after the diagnosis – when I thought I may well be in the final weeks of my life. But I always wished there were more books like that."

After getting the all-clear in his mid-20s, Mr Geiger went on to develop a successful computer software business, but it was when he later developed a side-line career as a writer and newspaper columnist that he realised he wanted to write the sort of book he wished he'd had when he was diagnosed.

"I didn't want it to be just about my experience, though that is in there," he said. "I wanted to make it accessible to all sorts of people, and to include a broad range of cancer types – to ensure it gives people hope, whatever type of cancer they had been diagnosed with."

Nine of the "survivors" in the book are from Bristol – and they all gathered together at Foyle's bookshop in Quaker's Friars for the launch of the book earlier this week.

"It was a great event," Mr Geiger said. "We're all excited to see the book idea become a reality."

â The Cancer Survivors' Club is out now, priced £8.99. All profits go to cancer charities.