Episode 2 - Erica Banks, Good Pirates and 'Mental Cell Lymphoma'

Mike Elder interviews Erica Banks, Communications Lead for Friends of ANCHOR, reviews some news items about the charity from August 1997 and reflects with his wife, Alison, on how significant words and descriptions can be when responding to a cancer diagnosis.

NB Episodes of this podcast will normally be released on the first of each month, but this episode is being released mid-month as part of the launch arrangements for the show.

The following points are among those covered in this episode:

• Prior to her interview, Erica provides information about recent and upcoming events, including the Runway Run, the annual Golf Gala Day and the Buchan Bridal Bash. Erica also puts out a warm, general invitation to attend the Friends of ANCHOR Open Day / ‘Thank You’ event that is happening at the Institute of Medical Sciences, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, on Friday 7 October 2022 from 1pm – 4pm. [01:01]
• Mike interviews Erica about her role at Friends of ANCHOR and what she finds most inspiring about the charity. [07:43]
• In the ‘From the Archives’ feature, Mike shares various stories about the charity that appeared in August 1997 in the local newspaper, ‘The Press and Journal’. As well as covering a hospital visit by some ‘good pirates’ and the footballing fundraising efforts of Fraserburgh fishermen and their wives, Mike provides an explanation of a ‘buttery morning’ in case some of our listeners are not familiar with the local baked ‘delicacy’ known as the Aberdeen buttery or rowie! [17:36]
• In the ‘Finding the Words’ section of this episode, Mike and Alison reflect on the idea of ‘What’s in a Name’, especially in connection with the use of the word, ‘cancer’. They also consider how the words and descriptions that we use in response to being diagnosed with a serious illness can make a difference to how we feel about the situation and how we interact with others, with ‘mental cell lymphoma’ being provided as an example of this! [21:09]
• The ‘And Finally!’ item explores the attitudes of early medical figures such as Hippocrates to blood conditions, based on their belief that blood was one of the four essential elements, or ‘humours’, of human life. As a result, bloodletting became common medical practice for centuries, with the eventual result that it became not uncommon for a ‘Bleeding Room’ to be a standard facility within a hospital! [27:24]
• Suggestions or feedback about the podcast can be sent to foapodcast@freerangepodcasting.co.uk, and Mike’s guest in the next episode will be John Greensmyth, who recently took part in Brave, the inspirational fashion show that has become a great favourite in the calendar of events organised annually by Friends of ANCHOR. [29:12)

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