My journey has not yet finished but the mobile unit in Skegness keeps me well and thriving.
“The shock of being diagnosed with cancer is a life changing event, it reaches the core of your being and those around you.” says Peter Birkinshaw.
“In 2014 I had an ache in my hip and like many people, I self-diagnosed. At first, I blamed it on pushing my mum in a wheelchair on our lovely holidays or to the shops when we were at home. But eventually the dull pain became too much, and I couldn’t walk to the bathroom one evening without crawling on all fours, so I decided to go and see my GP, thinking I probably needed a new hip.”
An X- Ray discovered a mass, not on Peter’s hip, but on a bone. And while the GP explained it could be a few things, Peter’s heart sank when he heard it could possibly be cancer.
“I started attending Boston Hospital for my six-week appointments. The staff there were lovely, and I felt much better being treated in a smaller hospital compared to London,” says Peter.
However, living in London for more than 20-years meant Peter had never needed to learn how to drive so he was dependent on hospital transport when he moved.
“The trip to the hospital was the longest part of the day and I was always worried the transport might not arrive in time and it was always very late to take me home after my appointment.
“And although I was extremely grateful for the lift, it meant my appointment took up an entire day and I was exhausted by the time I got home.
“Once the transport forgot me completely and at 10 pm the hospital called me a cab.
“I remain grateful for the service and the people, but all that waiting was both worrying and very uncomfortable. It really hurt just sitting in a waiting chair for such a long time.
The pandemic saw Peter’s hospital appointments cancelled and his chemotherapy medication was delivered to his home.
“It was a strange time for everyone, I lost significant family members it felt like a long lonely and sad time.” he says.
“As we were coming out of the pandemic, I was called by the chemotherapy ward and asked if I would like to try the mobile cancer chemotherapy unit as it was closer to my house and the journey would be shorter.
Until then I hadn’t heard of the mobile unit or that it was based in Skegness, but I jumped at the opportunity.
“I use a voluntary car service that takes me and waits, just charging for the cost of petrol. It means I can get to my appointment without too much worry, and I know someone will be there waiting to take me home after.
“The Skegness mobile unit is only about 10 miles from my home and the journey is 30 mins depending on traffic.
“My world just stopped; it felt like a comet heading to earth that was going to land on me. I was very frightened,” he says.
A flurry of medical appointments, CT scans and a biopsy did eventually diagnose Stage 4 Kidney Cancer which had spread to several locations.
“I had not had any other symptoms apart from my hip hurting,” says Peter.
A course of radiotherapy helped with the pain although Peter was told the tumour was still there and the cancer was incurable.
“It was a horrible time and not one I look back on happily,” he says.
Now, 11-years later Peter has regular blood tests and takes chemotherapy tablets and although he can’t walk very far without needing a rest, the radiation treatment has shrunk some of the mass.
“I call my tablets my magic beans and I also have a regular injection into my abdomen to strengthen my bones,” says Peter who was living in London when he was diagnosed.
“I wasn’t sure of anything I could do to help my body at the time,” he says. I was told to avoid the internet and its Wild West cures, but one thing I did know was it would be better to breathe better air, so I moved from South East London to the Lincolnshire coast and the fresh North Sea air.
Peter visits his local mobile cancer care unit ‘Elaine’, pictured here with members of the Lincolnshire NHS Trust
“It is so fantastic as I can have an early morning appointment and be home well in time for lunch. My day is no longer taken up with worry and stress about the long journey and the nurses on the mobile unit are all familiar faces to me. The experience is not scary at all. The unit has a much more personal atmosphere. The professional team work hard to make sure everyone feels welcome and understood.
“As someone living with Stage 4, anything that can help make things easier is a blessing and I am so thankful that my six weekly appointments are no longer something to dread. I feel safe and I know my healthcare is being delivered by professionals.
“I think if all goes well my next session will include my chemotherapy medication pills and will be my 100th cycle!
“My journey has not yet finished but the mobile unit in Skegness keeps me well and thriving.
“How can that gratitude ever be put into words?”
My journey has not yet finished but the mobile unit in Skegness keeps me well and thriving.
“The shock of being diagnosed with cancer is a life changing event, it reaches the core of your being and those around you.” says Peter Birkinshaw.
“In 2014 I had an ache in my hip and like many people, I self-diagnosed. At first, I blamed it on pushing my mum in a wheelchair on our lovely holidays or to the shops when we were at home. But eventually the dull pain became too much, and I couldn’t walk to the bathroom one evening without crawling on all fours, so I decided to go and see my GP, thinking I probably needed a new hip.”
An X- Ray discovered a mass, not on Peter’s hip, but on a bone. And while the GP explained it could be a few things, Peter’s heart sank when he heard it could possibly be cancer.
“My world just stopped; it felt like a comet heading to earth that was going to land on me. I was very frightened,” he says.
A flurry of medical appointments, CT scans and a biopsy did eventually diagnose Stage 4 Kidney Cancer which had spread to several locations.
“I had not had any other symptoms apart from my hip hurting,” says Peter.
A course of radiotherapy helped with the pain although Peter was told the tumour was still there and the cancer was incurable.
“It was a horrible time and not one I look back on happily,” he says.
Now, 11-years later Peter has regular blood tests and takes chemotherapy tablets and although he can’t walk very far without needing a rest, the radiation treatment has shrunk some of the mass.
“I call my tablets my magic beans and I also have a regular injection into my abdomen to strengthen my bones,” says Peter who was living in London when he was diagnosed.
“I wasn’t sure of anything I could do to help my body at the time,” he says. I was told to avoid the internet and its Wild West cures, but one thing I did know was it would be better to breathe better air, so I moved from South East London to the Lincolnshire coast and the fresh North Sea air.
Peter visits his local mobile cancer care unit ‘Elaine’, pictured here with members of the Lincolnshire NHS Trust
“I started attending Boston Hospital for my six-week appointments. The staff there were lovely, and I felt much better being treated in a smaller hospital compared to London,” says Peter.
However, living in London for more than 20-years meant Peter had never needed to learn how to drive so he was dependent on hospital transport when he moved.
“The trip to the hospital was the longest part of the day and I was always worried the transport might not arrive in time and it was always very late to take me home after my appointment.
“And although I was extremely grateful for the lift, it meant my appointment took up an entire day and I was exhausted by the time I got home.
“Once the transport forgot me completely and at 10 pm the hospital called me a cab.
“I remain grateful for the service and the people, but all that waiting was both worrying and very uncomfortable. It really hurt just sitting in a waiting chair for such a long time.
The pandemic saw Peter’s hospital appointments cancelled and his chemotherapy medication was delivered to his home.
“It was a strange time for everyone, I lost significant family members it felt like a long lonely and sad time.” he says.
“As we were coming out of the pandemic, I was called by the chemotherapy ward and asked if I would like to try the mobile cancer chemotherapy unit as it was closer to my house and the journey would be shorter.
Until then I hadn’t heard of the mobile unit or that it was based in Skegness, but I jumped at the opportunity.
“I use a voluntary car service that takes me and waits, just charging for the cost of petrol. It means I can get to my appointment without too much worry, and I know someone will be there waiting to take me home after.
“The Skegness mobile unit is only about 10 miles from my home and the journey is 30 mins depending on traffic.
“It is so fantastic as I can have an early morning appointment and be home well in time for lunch. My day is no longer taken up with worry and stress about the long journey and the nurses on the mobile unit are all familiar faces to me. The experience is not scary at all. The unit has a much more personal atmosphere. The professional team work hard to make sure everyone feels welcome and understood.
“As someone living with Stage 4, anything that can help make things easier is a blessing and I am so thankful that my six weekly appointments are no longer something to dread. I feel safe and I know my healthcare is being delivered by professionals.
“I think if all goes well my next session will include my chemotherapy medication pills and will be my 100th cycle!
“My journey has not yet finished but the mobile unit in Skegness keeps me well and thriving.
“How can that gratitude ever be put into words?”
