Writing through Cancer - a creative writing workshop

Writing through Cancer - a creative writing workshop for those living with and affected by cancer.

Cancer is a curveball in the story of so many people's lives. It interrupts our planned journeys and often forces us to change direction and to confront new challenges that we'd rather not be dealing with.

Creative writing and journaling are tools that we can use to cope, process, escape from and adjust to the changes that come our way, and writing alongside others who have similar experiences can be healing and therapeutic.

In this workshop, led by experienced author and facilitator, Beverley Ward, you'll be able to explore a variety of creative approaches to writing about your own life but also be able to escape to fictional worlds and to play with words. Expect laughter, tears, fun and solidarity.

Open to everyone affected by cancer, no experience of writing necessary.

Thanks to funding from Weston Park Hospital, these sessions are free but places are limited and need to be booked. We understand that there will be weeks when you might not be able to attend but, where possible, please cancel your booking if you're unable to attend so that we can offer your place to someone else.

Here's what one previous participant has said:

"I had not done any writing since I left school around 50 years ago and would never consider myself a writer. I was terrified entering my first Creative Writing class with Beverley, but I am so glad I challenged myself to walk through the door. Beverley has a particular skill in drawing out the stories and poems that she believes are in everyone.

With her exceptional teaching skills, I found myself writing a poem in my very first class, which I am still proud of today. Since then I have written short stories, autobiographic pieces and more poetry.

The Creative Writing classes have become the highlight of my week and they definitely help me to make sense of my terminal cancer diagnosis.They're not all serious though and we have lots of fun in writing humerous pieces and playing word games. It definitely helps my mental as well as my physical health. I've now started writing most days at home, putting words into a book that I can reflect on when I need a positive boost. I would recommend the classes to anyone and everyone. You may think you're not a writer, but you just haven't met the right teacher yet, and Beverle is that teacher!" LS