In this episode Gillian talks with Claire Foster-Gilbert, director of Westminster Abbey Institute, about her experience of living with Myeloma.
- Claire gives an overview of the work of Westminster Abbey Institute.
- Claire describes how the Myeloma was found and the experience of diagnosis.
- The detail of treatment is shared including the experience of having a stem cell transplant.
- How unhelpful the war metaphor is for someone with an incurable cancer.
- Gillian and Claire discuss the complete act of faith it is to put trust in the medical process.
- Claire shares some of the practices she found helpful during treatment.
- Gillian and Claire discuss the helpful influence and insights of Julian of Norwich when going through suffering.
- They discuss what the right thing to say is to someone living with cancer.
- Claire shares how much she appreciates people praying for her.
- Claire describes how writing is itself a healing experience.
- They discuss the importance of humour.
- Claire reads an incredible extract from her book about getting her hair shaved off.
- Claire shares how her treatment is an ongoing Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Resurrection experience.
- Claire finishes the podcast with a prayer she wrote at the beginning of lockdown and included in the end of her book.
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