Jamie Woods '77

Jamie Woods has been appointed Poet-in-Residence at Leukaemia Care. Jamie came to terms with his acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APL) diagnosis and subsequent post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) by channelling his thoughts into poems.

This is a key appointment for the charity who aims to ‘change the narrative’ around cancer and this is a key way to reach more people. With Jamie in residence it is a way to encourage more creativity in exploring the feelings associated with diagnosis.

In his new role Jamie hopes he will help others deal with their own cancer journey by writing and reading poetry, which can be a mindful, cathartic, and healing exercise. This hopefully will inspire more people to open up and share their journey, as well as the charity having a way to reach more people affected by leukaemia.

“I’m delighted to be working and volunteering my time to a great charity, who have helped me so much in my own illness and after-effects.”

“Leukaemia Care for me isn’t just a lobbying and research organisation, it’s a caring community trying to achieve wellbeing through our Buddy Schemes and support groups which I’ve benefited so greatly from.”

“Encouraging people to feel better about themselves and come to terms with what they’ve been through, or what they’re about to go through, is the reason I volunteered my services. I’m never going to run a marathon – my knees hurt too much, or skydive because I’m scared of heights. But I can write, and I’m a decent teacher. I can help you find your voice through writing.”

“I see my role, as Poet in Residence, to amplify the voices of people with leukaemia, lymphoma and blood cancers, and those on Watch and Wait. “

“I’d like to work with any patients who want to come along and do some online workshops. We can explore writing for wellbeing. Together we can write collaboratively, to create poetry that reflects the whole Leukaemia Care family.”

Jamie Woods

• Leukaemia is the 12th most common form of cancer and 12th biggest cancer killer.
• Every year, 10,000 people are diagnosed with leukaemia in the UK.
• Every year, 5,000 people die from leukaemia in the UK.
• Every year 6,000 people in the UK will be diagnosed with conditions that may develop into leukaemia, including myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN).
• Over 50,000 people are living with leukaemia in the UK.
• There are 34,000 people living with MDS or MPN in the UK.