Leanne Connor & Dan Blamires are members of ‘Unity: The After Cure Choir’. They tell us how the choir provides patients from the Leeds long-term follow-up (LTFU) service with a warm and welcoming space to come together, have fun and support each other.
Unity started in 2018, with the idea developed by Dr Michelle Kwok-Williams (LTFU consultant) and Heather Berry (LTFU clinical nurse specialist). The group is made up of patients who attend the Leeds long-term follow-up service, having received treatment for children’s, teenage or young adult cancers and other haematological conditions, as well as their family and friends.
At Unity, we often share the same problems and find that we prop each other up and help each other through some difficult times. Often, it’s just a knowing hug or smile that eases the conundrum of dealing with everyday life as a cancer survivor and strengthens the feeling that we’re not alone.
Everyone looks forward to practice. Singing makes everything seem better and lightens the load. We laugh and sing and just enjoy ourselves. You don't need to be pitch-perfect, it's all about having a good time and leaving your worries at the door. Singing together in a group has helped many of us grow in confidence and even have a go at singing a solo. Everyone is supportive and encourages each other to try new things.
Having started off as four nervous strangers in a room, not really knowing what to expect, we haven’t looked back as we’ve grown in both numbers and confidence. We’ve gone from singing a few songs karaoke-style to possessing a varied repertoire. Our performances have seen us singing at Leeds Minster’s Christmas Carol Concert and our TV debut appearance on BBC Look North. We were even nominated for a Leeds Hospitals ‘Time to Shine’ award, where everyone had a fantastic time at the glamorous ceremony.
Our most recent, and successful, performance saw us hosting a bake-off and concert for our family and friends to help raise money for Maggie’s Yorkshire, which has become our new home to meet and rehearse. We had such a great day for our first performance since COVID and were able to showcase how fabulous the choir has become and wear our new Unity t-shirts, funded by Leeds Hospitals Charity, with pride.
As the group has grown and developed over the years, there’s been lots of friendships made. You could say Unity is like one big family. We’ve recognised that singing isn’t just what the group is about, and we all look forward to sitting down together and having a chat over a cup of tea or a glass of fizz, too.
Michelle and Heather work very hard behind the scenes to ensure these things run smoothly. They’re always looking for new songs, printing lyrics, securing performance dates and taking care of the logistics.
Unity wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for their dedication, love and support, and we can’t thank them enough.
I was diagnosed, aged 13, with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). I had intensive chemotherapy, total body radiotherapy and a bone marrow transplant. I’ve had to very reluctantly give up my own nursing career because of the long-term side effects of treatment. I felt lost, no role and felt like I’d nothing to talk about but my health worries. Being part of Unity has given me a new purpose and goal in life.
Leanne
I was 21 when I was diagnosed with a germinoma brain tumour. My treatment was a five-week course of radiotherapy. It was at one of my clinic appointments that I was asked if I would be interested in joining a choir. It sounded good to me as I'm always up for a new challenge
Dan
From Contact magazine issue 97 - Winter 2022
