Dying poet writes for cancer research (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Dying poet writes for cancer research

8:35am Thursday 6th July 2006

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TERMINALLY ill cancer patient Terence Hutchins is hoping his newly published poetry anthology will raise money to help other sufferers.

Seven years ago, Mr Hutchins, 75, was diagnosed with colon cancer, which eventually spread to his liver.

He has undergone a number of operations since and been on a course of chemotherapy.

Having written poems for 14 years, he decided to produce a book, with a selection of his efforts, to sell in aid of Cancer Research UK.

"There's no way they're going to cure me," he said. "They're only prolonging my life.

"I've been writing poetry for 14 years and I've collected 500 poems altogether.

"I thought it would be a nice gesture towards Cancer Research UK to print up some booklets and sell them to raise funds."

Mr Hutchins has distributed the books, which cost £2, around Cancer Research UK shops, with all proceeds going to the charity.

He moved to Malmesbury from Herefordshire 18 months ago so his wife Chrissie, 74, could be nearer their daughter Fiona, 46, who lives in Startley.

Mr Hutchins, who lives in West Street, said it was an incredible shock when doctors told him they had found a tumour the size of a tennis ball in his colon.

He said: "They operated on me in Hereford and the doctor came to my bed the next morning and said I've got some bad news for you, Terence.' "He said the cancer had spread to my liver and there wasn't anything he could do about it.

"In that instance, I saw over his shoulder the angel of death. However, then he said but I know a man who can,' and immediately that image vanished."

He was transferred to the QE Hospital in Birmingham for an operation on his liver.

Although doctors initially removed about a third of his liver, Mr Hutchins required a second operation on it after a series of small tumours were found.

"I had the operation, but the doctor came round and said they were too widely spread over the liver and they couldn't have taken enough out and left me with enough liver," he said.

Mr Hutchins has been on a course of chemotherapy, which is being administered to him through a new pill.

Mr and Mrs Hutchins celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary earlier this year.

Mr Hutchins added he hoped the anthology would help his name live on once he has passed away.

"Having had eight years with this wretched business I still feel remarkably well," he said.

"I'm looking forward to another two months, or perhaps a year or two yet.

"I'm also hoping to get my name spread around as a poet and I'm hoping to publish another three or four books yet."

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