SPECIAL REPORT – Two North Derbyshire strangers form “friendship for life” through cancer

Two strangers from North Derbyshire, both diagnosed with bowel cancer within months of each other, have formed a ‘friendship for life’ thanks to a new Macmillan project at Chesterfield Royal Hospital.

Denise Hudson and Suzanne Mitchell, from Dronfield, live less than a mile apart but had never met until they were united by the Macmillan Prehabilitation Project.

The charity says ‘prehabilitation’ ensures people are mentally, physically and emotionally ready to face the challenge of cancer before treatment even starts, to give them the best chance of recovery and reduce hospital stays by two days.

Denise and Suzanne spoke to North Derbyshire Radio’s Senior News Editor Matt Hewitt, along with Dave Archer who runs the project which brought them together.

The ladies started by telling Matt about how they discovered they had bowel cancer.