Audrey’s Blog on living well with disability and breast cancer

There is an audible hum across our city just now. The festival in Edinburgh is always heady stuff, creativity crackles, all the senses are tested, choice of entertainment abounds and there is never enough time to do it all it seems. But this year we have the additional hum of political conversation about the Scotland we want in the future. I have never known such inquiry and engagement before. Even as I write this I get “ goosebumps ” , seeing a nation alert and listening and awake to possibility. I have been asked to speak at an event on how we keep people engaged after the referendum, a vital question I believe. It struck me that it ’ s the same for teams in organisations, for public health campaigns, for enabling wellbeing too not just in individuals but also in their communities because it ’ s   about ensuring people have a voice, it's about listening, being responded to and knowing you have influence on your condition, your life, your community, your organisa

Robbie on the day we got him. It's   a few years ago now that I was heading out the door for a weekend and glanced at our dog who was staying behind with a friend. I noticed a trail of blood coming from his mouth. A further examination showed a growth and an immediate trip to the vet confirmed it was serious. Likely a cancer. Robbie the dog was our very much loved golden retriever. We had got him after an awful few years when I was recovering from cancer and my dad had died from it too. He brought the laughter back in our lives. You could rely on that warm golden presence to make life feel better. By then he was thirteen with a heart condition but a good quality of life. The vet referred us to the Dick Vet hospital in Edinburgh. At the time we lived 80 miles away but we wanted to do our best for him and we were told they were the best, especially with oncology. My daughter and I were welcomed warmly and efficiently. Care was taken of us all. We sat down with