Linda first met our chairman, Stewart, and fellow Champion Caroline at a Cancer SMART stall in Leeds Marketplace. What started as a quick chat soon turned into a heartfelt conversation. Stewart’s words made her laugh, cry, and—most importantly—feel hopeful. That day, Linda decided she wanted to be part of Yorkshire Cancer Community.
For years, Linda had struggled with stomach pain and acid reflux, often told it was just IBS. It wasn’t until a severe flare-up before a planned holiday that she went to a Walk-In Clinic. A CT scan revealed enlarged lymph nodes—and soon after, she was diagnosed with lymphoma.
“The diagnosis was such a shock,” Linda recalls. “Telling my family was the hardest part. I avoided using the ‘C word’ for a long time.”
Linda underwent six rounds of tough chemotherapy and leaned on the unwavering support of her partner John, her sisters Julie and Karen, daughter Laura, her amazing friends, the caring staff at St James’s Chemo Ward, and her Lymphoma nurse, Emily. She also found comfort in the team at Maggie’s, the support centre next to the Bexley Wing in Leeds.
As Linda recovered, life dealt another blow—her twin sister Julie was diagnosed with breast cancer. True to her protective nature, Linda shifted her focus to supporting her sister through treatment.
Today, Linda remains careful about her health—her low white blood cell count means she has to shield against infections—but she hasn’t let that stop her. She’s passionate about giving back, and she’s thrown herself into fundraising for Yorkshire Cancer Community.
She’s even organising a fundraiser at Leeds Irish Centre on 30 November, complete with entertainment, raffles, and a tombola.
“I want to get on with life,” Linda says. “I want to dance on tables again! Having cancer makes you treasure the little things—time with my family and grandchildren, and not taking anything for granted.”
Our chairman, Dr Stewart Manning, summed it up perfectly: “Linda is a breath of fresh air. We are very lucky to have her.”