On the outskirts of the city lies the Cambridge Cancer Help Centre, set up in 1986 to provide a sense of community and support to cancer patients and their carers in the area. It doesn’t administer medical treatments. Instead, it facilitates advice and emotional support between people who find themselves in similar situations. It’s very much a social venture, and it’s almost as necessary to its members as the medical treatments which keep them going.

We did a photoshoot with members of the Centre in 2014, aiming to illustrate the vitality which characterises many of them. The images are heartwearming as well as vibrant, as the Centre’s members show their refusal to be allow their illnesses to dominate their lives. From inquisitiveness to eccentricity to sheer enthusiasm for life, the message couldn’t be clearer: long-term illness need not define you.          
 
Long may the Centre’s unpaid therapists and professionals – of various specialisms - continue their excellent work. It was a privilege as well as a pleasure for us to work with these people.