After cancer

By Kate Bickford – originally shared internally with ABC employees.
Kate Bickford went to hell and back when she was diagnosed with a rare form of cervical cancer. But the experience has galvanised her to help others, with a trip to Bhutan the next step in her journey. Why Skin Deep? A number of levels for us. You can’t necessarily judge a person’s health just by looking at them, nor do we always know the stories behind those we encounter each day. On another level, it’s also important that we take steps to look after the different aspects of our health and be thankful for each day.
To look at me you wouldn’t know I’ve been battling cancer. You probably wouldn’t know that I take seven medications daily.
I still see doctors most weeks and I’m fighting back waves of nauseas and other side effects of the medication I take.
To look at me you wouldn’t know that my doctors have told me that if I had left my pap test for another 3 – 5 years my treatment would be very different: they would not be curing my cancer, they would only be prolonging my life.

Having a routine pap test saved my life.

What does kindness even mean anyway? (Jess Phillips)

Yes. So…What does kindness mean? Well, I suppose it depends on many things.

I thought I had a pretty good handle on what kindness was.

Oh yeah, Kindness.

I’m kind. Kinda??

I’m kind when I apologise for knocking you in a crowd, agree with you or reach for the salt before offering it to you; oh yeah, and I’m kind when I say that I’ve had enough, even though I’m wishing… damn it, that you would retreat to the kitchen so I could grab an extra baked potato and eat it. FAST. While your back is turned, so as I don’t appear, heavens, not…rude or even, forgive me…GREEDY.

Oh yes, and I’m super kind when I hold back my tears, anger and frustration, so as I don’t spoil, soil or ruin this day we are having together, out here… yes, together.

So… as I began, I did feel that I knew kindness inside out and back-the front.