Poet laureate’s new work for Yorkshire Cancer Research

Darren Pattie, from Poppleton, shared his story with poet Simon Armitage who said he was “very moved” by the experience.

Simon, who was appointed poet laureate by Queen Elizabeth in 2019, was asked to pen the poem by Yorkshire Cancer Research for World Cancer Day on Tuesday (February 4).

The poem, titled The Campaign, uses the stories of 17 people affected by cancer from Yorkshire to highlight a century of progress in cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment, while acknowledging the work still needed to create a cancer-free future in the county.

Its release comes after people from across Yorkshire united for the cancer charity’s White Rose campaign, calling on the government to address the region’s long-standing cancer inequalities in its upcoming National Cancer Plan.

Darren was among the more than 2,700 people across Yorkshire to sign up to the campaign and send a white rose, the region’s emblem, to London last summer.

The 59-year-old underwent chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant at St James’s University Hospital in Leeds for a rare blood cancer.

His wife, Sarah, travelled to Manchester for treatment for her own rare neuroendocrine tumours.

“There are serious imbalances in access to cancer treatment across our region,” Darren said. “I feel lucky I was able to travel for mine, but because Yorkshire has many large remote areas, not everyone is able to benefit from the treatment they need.”

Recommended reading:

Simon said it was “saddening to hear experiences of illness and bereavement” when he met with the people who shaped the poem at the Yorkshire Cancer Research Centre in Harrogate.

“I felt very moved by their experiences,” the poet said. “It was also a privilege to listen to testimonies of determination, resilience and hope, and to learn about how Yorkshire Cancer Research has given people a positive focus in their lives.” 

He said the poem “ran with the idea of cancer as an ‘enemy’ that must be tackled through ingenuity, decades of research and painstaking discovery”. “Cancer is also a dragon in the mind, demanding a certain bloody-mindedness – a true Yorkshire characteristic – to overcome this shadow and threat to our daily lives,” said Simon, from Huddersfield.

Poet laureate Simon Armitage with Kathryn Scott, chief executive at Yorkshire Cancer Research (Image: Yorkshire Cancer Research)

Kathryn Scott, chief executive at Yorkshire Cancer Research, said it was a “privilege” to work with the poet laureate.

“Simon’s words capture the spirit of Yorkshire – its resilience, generosity and determination – and gives voice to a century of breakthroughs driven by people in our region, whose efforts have saved countless lives around the world,” Kathryn said. 

“As we look to the future, the poem serves as a powerful reminder of why the charity began this mission and why we must keep moving forward to bring more cancer cures to Yorkshire. Together, we will continue to make great progress toward a Yorkshire free from cancer.”

For more information about poet laureate Simon Armitage’s The Campaign, visit: https://www.ycr.org.uk/TheCampaign