Penny Brohn Founder dies

It was my great good fortune to have known Pat Pilkington for the best part of 30 years, and to have seen at first hand how her boundless energy, spirit and positive outlook helped to transform the quality of so many lives through her work with Penny Brohn Cancer Care formerly known as the Bristol Cancer Help Centre.

I met Pat on several occasions, together with her husband, Christopher, who was a huge supporter of all that she did and I remember being incredibly impressed by their passion and commitment when I opened the charity’s new premises at Clifton, in 1983. There was a real sense of pioneering work that they both espoused and I greatly admired what she achieved with a genuinely integrated approach to the care of cancer sufferers.

Pat, and Penny Brohn herself, always emphasised the importance of treating the whole person - something we often talked about. Today, managing the impact of a cancer diagnosis, offering advice and help with vital elements such as nutrition and providing emotional and spiritual support, are all part of the complementary provision at Penny Brohn Cancer Care, which I have seen for myself, and for which we owe a huge debt of gratitude to Pat.

It is my profound hope that her rich legacy will be recognized for every ounce that it is worth and that many others will learn from her inspiring work.”

Pat's energy, spirit and vision have helped transform cancer care. Her focus on caring for the mind and the spirit, as much as the body, was revolutionary 30 years ago. It is a testament to her legacy that this is very much the norm today.”