Author John Walker Pattison from South Shields releases new book.
John Walker Pattison was born in the wonderful seaside town of South Shields 65 years ago. He is a long suffering, yet dedicated Newcastle United supporter; however, there is little doubt that the crucial hinge in John’s life, is his beautiful wife, June. “Nothing is more important than family,” says John.
He recently retired from his post as a senior clinical nurse specialist and Macmillan nurse in haematology at his local hospital, a place that established his cancer diagnosis almost 50 years ago; at that time his parents were told that he would not survive, yet here he is today, humbled to be one of the longest living cancer survivors in the UK today.
He has written dozens of articles for national and international nursing and medical press. John has presented lectures the length and breadth of the country on many aspects of haematology and cancer management. He is honoured to have won numerous awards both locally and nationally for his work in haematology. Now his focus is children’s fiction.
Pattison has recently completed his memoirs, ‘Me, and My Shadow – memoirs of a cancer survivor’ and which will be published on 31st October 2022.
Due to the pandemic and his chronic illnesses as a consequence of the salubrious chemotherapy and radiotherapy he received decades earlier he decided to put pen to paper and document the elasticated stories he has been telling his grandchildren for many years.
His first children’s book, ‘Strange Trips and Weird Adventures’ is the first in a series of adventures of Daniel and Papa; available to a worldwide audience and will be followed by ‘Blenkinsop Blabbermouth and the Ghost of Broderick McCaffery,’ then, ‘The Fastest Water Pistol in Splodge City.’ His fourth title, ‘The Kingdom of Huckleberry Jam,’ was recently completed. Meanwhile, Lunar von Buella the Mystical Mouse from Missoula in a work in progress.
He enjoys the solitude and escapism of fly fishing and photographing Native Americans. More significantly, he found solace throughout his cancer journey in the history, and spirituality of the Lakota Sioux Nation. In 2018, he would spend time on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation with the indigenous people of South Dakota, the people who, unknowingly, supported him through his, and life’s greatest challenge, cancer.
LISTEN to The Radio Shields Interview with John Walker Pattison
On Friday 28th October 2022, we invited John into the studio to talk about his new book. Have a listen to the interview below.
Me and My Shadow
Me and My Shadow – memoirs of a cancer survivor, is a brutally honest account of one teenager’s struggle to understand and deal with the most feared diagnosis known to society: cancer.
At 18 years of age, John Walker Pattison was thrust onto a roller coaster ride of emotional turbulence – his innocence cruelly stripped from him; his fate woven into the tapestry of life.
After years of failed chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments that ravaged his physical frame and almost destroyed his psychological stability – his parents were told that he would not survive. Yet, today, he is one of the longest surviving cancer patients in the UK.
Eight years after his unexpected recovery, the news that all parents fear, his daughter is diagnosed with terminal leukaemia. Yet like her father, she too would defy the odds and go on to become an international swimmer.
Pattison turned his life full circle and became a cancer nurse specialist at the same hospital that made his diagnosis decades earlier. He prescribes chemotherapy and cares for individuals with the same cancers experienced by both him and his daughter.
Throughout his journey, Pattison’s inspirations were the space rock legends, Hawkwind. He would get to play on stage with his heroes at the Donnington Festival in 2007.
More significantly, he found solace throughout his cancer journey in the history and spirituality of the Lakota Sioux Nation. In 2018, he would spend time on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation with the indigenous people of South Dakota. The same people who, unknowingly, supported him through life’s greatest challenge: cancer.
You can purchase John’s book by visiting his website www.johnwpattison.co.uk