Jaynie’s journal inspires support

JAYNIE HUXLEY in the Mayor’s Parlour with some of the donations from the local business men and women, pictured with the Mayor and Mayoress, Councillors Jim McArdle and Kay Knox, and Youth Mayor Mohammed Adil (second left)

OLDHAM’S business community has rallied round to meet the cost of publishing a book of poetry written from the heart by Jaynie Huxley.

The 46-year-old — featured in last Friday’s Evening Chronicle — put pen to paper to help her cope with the anger and frustrations of a nine-year battle against cancer.

Jaynie, of Manchester Road, Greenfield, decided to sell it to raise money for Oldham Cancer Support Centre as a thank-you.

She spoke about it at the Hollinwood Ball, a fundraising event for the centre, at the Clough Manor Hotel in Denshaw earlier this month, organised by her friend Beverley Heap, who first suggested Jaynie publish the book..

Oldham’s Mayor, Coun cillor Jim McArdle took to the stage and pledged his help.

Then local businessmen and women came forward and offered their help as well.

An astonished Jaynie said: “It was very powerful to watch, all I could feel was love and compassion like I have never felt before, and it made me cry.

“I thought these are very busy people, I was talking about how precious time is, and they were willing to give their time to help me.”

Jaynie had started writing by jotting her poems down on scraps of paper whenever they came into her head, and three years ago she decided to collect them up and put them together for the sake of neatness.

But when Beverley caught sight of them she knew straight away they would be a great support to others.

Beverley encouraged her to think about turning them into a book, as she thought being able to share someone else’s experiences would bring comfort to other people with cancer.

Jaynie will dedicate her book “Let the Swearing Begin — Expressions of a Nine-Year Cancer Journey” to husband Mark.

“He was the person who I always asked could I read him my latest poem,” she said. “He has always listened.”

Jaynie used her artistic talents to illustrate the book, and has included photographs of herself and her family.

“Everyone has been amazingly supportive,” she said, including parents Eunice and Ray Liddy, her sister Carol Liddy, brother Simon and his wife Fiona, three nephews Caol (12), (cor) Ryan (10) and Jasper (8), and niece Rachel Hooper (22).

Jaynie said of her poetry work: “It’s unfinished, it’s part of a continuing journey, I can’t not write, I find it compelling.”

Jaynie was diagnosed with breast cancer nine years ago, and said: “When it went into my bones I knew I would never recover, but through writing poetry I found a way of recovering to live a life with cancer and have lots of experiences.”


Jaynie’s book — “Let the Swearing Begin — Expressions of a Nine-Year Cancer Journey” — is expected to be out in the next few weeks.

The businessmen and women who have banded together to fund it, under the leadership of Oldham’s Mayor, Councillor Jim McArdle, are: Martin Hill, Phil Wiggett, Frank Rothwell, Karl Worswick, Mark Roberts, Paul Topham, Alan Tupman, Jane Dronsfield, Robert Ennett and Shaun Clancy