Austin Birks
Press Release - Black belt in karate is kicking cancer with over 100 doses of chemo
A press release about my journey with cancer has recently been published by the South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust. You...
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Austin Birks
Mar 194 min read
Trouble and strife with the strawberry tart
In my adolescent years, I had a mate of mine called Eamonn Martin. One of the things that we used to do was make up our own version of...
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Austin Birks
Mar 13, 20236 min read
The Dark Side Of Chemotherapy
Over the course of my 4 years and 6 months of living with cancer, a lot of kind people have said to me: “So, if you don't mind me asking,...
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Austin Birks
Jan 7, 20236 min read
Review of 2022 - In Short: No, Thank You… Things Can Only Get Better
One of the benefits of being a rather sad, old, English gentleman like myself, is the fact that even though technology allows us to have...
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Austin Birks
Dec 18, 20224 min read
The Joy Of Meeting New People In Hospital
Forrest Gump famously said “Life is like a box of chocolates.” Now, I honestly have absolutely no idea what that means, but I always...
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Austin Birks
Dec 12, 20224 min read
Heart Attack - The Experience Itself, And I flogged A Book!
Now, I do not know about you my dear chum, but I never thought that I would experience a heart attack as part of my life and times. Maybe...
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Austin Birks
Nov 10, 20227 min read
Cancer And The Snakes And Ladders Conundrum, Or Shake Rattle And Roll!
When I first started writing these blogs back in late 2018, I had absolutely what was going to happen, or indeed what I was going to...
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Austin Birks
Sep 11, 20224 min read
Reflections On Life And Death As Her Majesty The Queen Embarks On Her Final Journey
As I write this blog, I am watching the mortal remains of her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II leave Balmoral castle for the very last time, as...
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Austin Birks
Aug 20, 20227 min read
From The Top Of My Head To The Tips Of My Toes... Nobody Knows Where The Cancer Goes. Part 3:Bottoms
When I set off on this little journey to explore what the side effects of the chemotherapy actually do to you physically, across, well,...
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Austin Birks
Jul 30, 20226 min read
From The Top Of My Head To The Tips Of My Toes…Who Knows Where The Cancer Grows… Part 2
Following on from the first part of my journey exploring what the side effects of chemotherapy are and what they are actually like. I...
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Austin Birks
Jul 30, 20226 min read
From The Top Of My head To The Tips Of My Toes…No one Knows Where The Cancer Goes….Part 1: The head
I often get asked what having chemo is really like, and my reply is consistent: the chemo itself is actually quite manageable. After 68...
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Austin Birks
Jun 14, 20223 min read
Reflections On Life And Death In 2022
So, my dear chums, a new year is already upon us and can you believe it, we are already in February. Not sure where January went, but hey...
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Austin Birks
Oct 21, 20214 min read
A Milestone Is Achieved: 50 Doses Of Chemo - Not Out
Well, my dear chums! Today is a landmark day in the life and times of myself, for today is the day that I attend the Rigby unit at...
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Austin Birks
Oct 21, 20213 min read
Once More Into The Breach Dear Friends (Back to Chemo After a 2-week Break)
It was good while it lasted, I have to say, but it did not last long. My wonderful oncologist, Doctor Peter, had agreed to give me a...
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Austin Birks
Jun 29, 20214 min read
Six Degrees of Cancer Separation
It is a strange quirk of fate how we find ourselves drawn to music of different sorts. No rhyme or reason as to what we might like or...
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Austin Birks
Jun 27, 20214 min read
Fear and Faith... The Cancer Conundrum
Truth be told, some days are frankly a bit frightening on this journey with cancer. And in truth, 9 days out of 10, I never bat an eye...
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Austin Birks
May 8, 20215 min read
Reaching The Age Of 61. Not Out... Somehow
Monday, May 3rd, 2021 saw me celebrating my 61st birthday on a day that witnessed some truly wild and inclement weather. Part of me...
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Austin Birks
Apr 9, 20214 min read
Life is a Gift
So, here we are, a day or two after the bank holiday that has celebrated the resurrection of Christ. For me, if honest, I have in the...
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Austin Birks
Apr 7, 20213 min read
Writing Again: Reflections on my Journey with Cancer
So, here I am. It's been a long time, or so it seems, since I last wrote a blog. My world got turned upside down again on February 2nd,...
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Austin Birks
Mar 5, 20211 min read
The Power of Friendship
Time spent with dear friends who are supporting my third battle with cancer is absolutely priceless.
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