A cancer sufferer who lives with extreme pain everyday has been recognised for her blog through which she shares her experiences of the disease.

Becki McGuinness, 27, from Southfields, was diagnosed with bone cancer when she was 21 years old and decided two years ago to share her thoughts and experiences with others on the internet.

The former Elliot School pupil’s blog copingwiththebigc.co.uk has been nominated for two categories, the most innovative and most individual blog, at the UK Blog Awards.

Although she has been in part remission for four years Miss McGuinness still suffers from a range of problems including severe pain, limited mobility and extreme fatigue.

Despite being unable to work and struggling to get out Miss McGuinness has not let this stop her expressing herself, being creative and helping others through her blog.

Wandsworth Times:

Becki McGuinness

She covers everything from the death of her father earlier this year, due to pancreatic cancer, to leaflets all about coping with cancer.

She said: "When you think I was a young person, in 2008, but you weren’t allowed in the young people’s unit. You had to go in the adults unit but everyone was a lot older - most were over 60 and it was hard to relate.

"Going into remission is a Catch 22 - the effects can be just as bad. Not everyone will have it and others can be perfectly fine. I have to judge really carefully what I do.

"I used to write while I was ill then I decided to do it in blog form so I could reach other people in similar situations.

"I think sometimes when you experience things on your own you’re not sure if it is right or wrong. When people contact you it’s a nice way to realise you are all together."

Miss McGuinness will go to an awards ceremony, in central London, at the end of April where she will find out whether she is a winner.

She is an ambassador for the Bone Cancer Reasearch Trust and also the Wandsworth Get to Know Cancer pop-up shop which distributes information locally.


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