THE story of a mother and son writing their way through cancer can be heard at Bridport LSi.
Author Sue Sims of Beaminster will give a talk called Healing Words on Saturday, July 13 at 1pm.
On February 18 2015, Mark Sims, a young doctor, received the devastating news that the cancer he had at aged 15 (malignant melanoma) was now back and he was terminally ill at aged 26. It changed everything for him and for his whole family.
Within five days Mark began writing his story, first of all by pouring his heart out on a Just Giving Page to raise funds for Cancer Research UK and then on a blog he called Wrestling Melanoma.
On Day One his mum. Susan also began writing. As a poet, she turned to her natural form, poetry and began recording events. Mark and his mum found writing helped them process feelings and events that were unimaginable. They became incredibly close during the twenty-three months Mark was ill.
Since Mark’s death Susan has published P.S. I Have cancer: Wrestling Melanoma and Falling in Love, a memoir written by Mark and based on his blog, and her own collection of poems, Splitting Sunlight was published by Dempsey & Windle earlier this year. Mark’s fund is now at over £212,000 raised for Cancer Research UK and his work has won awards during his lifetime and posthumously.
Sue will be giving a talk in the LSi courtyard.
Tickets are free with any donations being split between Cancer Research UK and Bridport LSi.
They are available from LSi Alembic Canteen, Bridport Tourist Information Centre and Eventbrite
*Healing Words - Writing Through Cancer - A talk by author Sue Sims, Saturday, July 13, 1pm free/donation
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