Eleanor Ames
From Me to You, a charity founded to inspire people to write letters to those living with cancer, put on a free letter writing workshop last month, with patients at both Nottingham City Hospital and Nottingham QMC signed up to the scheme. Eleanor Ames tells us more.
a letter arriving can change everything about my day
The Big Letter Write took place online on 21st October, in order to ‘demystify how to write a letter to someone who is going through treatment or living with cancer’. The workshop involved tips on overcoming the difficulty of writing the first line of a letter, ideas for content, and activities in crafting envelope-sized gifts. The charity said that 650 letters were written as a result of the workshop, 30% more than in an average month. Dawn, a recipient of From Me to You letters, said: “Cancer has left me feeling isolated and cut off from normal life. A letter arriving can change everything about my day.”
Alison Hitchcock, co-founder of From Me to You, said: “We often hear that emotional support can sometimes disappear as patients embark on surgery and treatment, as those close to them just don’t know what to say or how to communicate. Written notes are so special because they help people to express emotions and feelings that they might struggle to articulate face-to-face.”
a routine of letter writing can increase levels of contentedness
She added: “Letters are also a wonderful opportunity for the writer to grab a moment of reflection. Research shows that a routine of letter writing can increase levels of contentedness and lower instances of depression.”
For anyone who missed the workshop but would like to get involved, a list of writing tips can be found here. https://www.frommetoyouletters.co.uk/writing-tips
Eleanor Ames
Featured image courtesy of Kate Macate via Unsplash. Image licence found here. No changes were made to this image.
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