In this blog piece Mr Mal O’Donnell, a member of the public involvement group for the Creative Ageing and Social Prescribing project discusses the role of cancer and poetry in his life and offers his reflections on barriers that older people face in their engagement with creative activities.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I have lived on a council estate in Cardiff for most of my life, I have seen first-hand from a very young age how hard it can be, as a child my mother had too much to do, looking after eight sons and one daughter, my father died when I was very small. The only good thing where we lived, was almost everybody was as poor as us, so I rarely had that feeling of envy. When I left school, it was a job any job, mainly working with my hands but I felt I had missed out in some way, I needed to gain access to an education to the arts and literature.  I felt that these were always out of reach mainly due to my untidy handwriting and terrible spelling.

Then Windows 98 walked into my life, with a friend I cherish, called Spell-check they had given me the freedom to write, I then decided at fifty-four years of age to do something about it, I enrolled on various courses run by the local schools and colleges, this is where I started to write stories and poetry, my fellow students and teachers appreciated what I was writing they understood and encouraged me to carry on, eventually I went on  to gain credits to further my education, it was only then that I found out I was dyslexic but I wasn’t giving up. Eventually after three years of study I earn my place at Glamorgan University, with the universities help with my dyslexia and a voice recognition program for my computer, in 2006 I completed a bachelor of arts in Creative and Professional Writing after three years of study I was awarded a 2-1. Looking back on that first day at university, I turned up nervous dyslexic and skint but I wouldn’t have missed it for the world, this was where my eyes were opened to the various art forms.

My cancer and poetry journey

Eleven years ago, I was diagnosed with cancer, it’s then I became heavily involved with the various organisations and charities surrounding cancer patients, my university got in touch with me to let me know Tenovus wanted to establish writing groups for people living with cancer, to give them the opportunity to write in any format they desired and also on any subject, with no barriers such as spelling and punctuation or dyslexia the freedom to write anything. I joined their pilot scheme to see if this was feasible, it was a success the programme was called Write with Us, I became an ambassador for the programme.

I have joined various writing groups in the past but I found I felt more comfortable writing on my own maybe it’s because of my dyslexia.

I’ve also been involved in various studies with Cardiff University’s health and well-being, this gave them and me the opportunity to experiment with art sculpture and imagery, to combine them with writing and poetry to give a greater impact to the work. I have been involved with HARP and Y-lab also a member of the Arts and Health Public involvement group.

I have recently joined a steering group with Tenovus, to establish the All-Wales Cancer Community a network across Wales for people living with cancer, the programme wants to focus on what people really need and what they are looking for, sharing my poetry I hope gives them a voice.

Having been told two years ago my cancer is back, then having chemotherapy in the middle of a pandemic really sharpens the mind, the poetry and stories I write I hope give a greater insight and understanding and resonate with people when faced with this journey called life, from childhood to the present day.

I like to challenge myself tackling a subject that doesn’t personally affect me, but the subject has to stir me emotionally, I have to make that connection before I see if it works. I am my own worst critic more often or not I get a feeling if some thing is working, I like to stick with it writing and rewriting, even though this can be so frustrating at times because of my dyslexia, I have to forget about the spelling and carry on, because I know there is a poem in there some were, piecing it together is so rewarding after discarding draft after draft.

Sometimes my poetry is of the moment in the moment about me or those around me, when you experience something first hand, happy sad funny or terrifying, I feel I can step into that place to write a poem.

Living with cancer for over ten years really sharpens the mind gives you a real perspective on life, you see things clearer sharper makes one more passionate, the poems I write about my cancer journey I hope gives people an insight or greater understanding of what a cancer patient sometimes go through, I hope my poetry gives them a voice.

What are the barriers for older people’s engagement in creative activity?

I believe the barriers to the older persons involvement with the arts has become a lot harder over the last three years because the Covid pandemic, a generation shielding from the virus or isolated in care homes or suffering from dementia, in some ways looked on as helpless needing to be cared for. This has compounded the idea of their inability to be involved with the arts, unless you are sitting in a corner with a paintbrush or tambourine.

I am not saying don’t do this, for some people this has to be applauded but for the huge majority of the older generation we really are doing them an injustice, there is nothing more ironic than seeing a young person taking the part of an older person in a production either play or film, when that older person is quite capable of being involved. When was the last time you saw a seventy-four-year-old playing the part of a teenager, unacceptable you might think, too often those involved in the arts settle for less, instead of encouraging the older person to have a go, pushing them drawing them out of themselves in meaningful projects. Giving them the opportunity to show what they can do whatever the art form, which has to be to everyone’s advantage.