Mary Wild: Helen Rollason Charity

Our speaker today was Mary Wild (pictured), a Volunteer Ambassador with the Helen Rollason Cancer Charity.

Helen Rollason was brought up in Essex and became one of the first sports reporters for Essex Radio, later joining the BBC. In 1997 she was diagnosed with cancer and wrote a weekly column about her cancer for the Sunday Mirror Magazine and a book. She died in 1999 at the age of 43.

The Helen Rollason Cancer Charity was set up in her memory to help cancer sufferers and their families in Essex. Their head office and cancer support centre are in a refurbished former bank building in Hatfield Peverel. The accommodation includes consulting rooms and a waiting room as well as office space.

The charity offers a number of complementary therapies, including reflexology, which Mary said she found very relaxing, and aromatherapy massage. Counselling is also available for both cancer sufferers and their families. Yoga classes are provided weekly in Harlow and twice-weekly online. There is a monthly Men’s Group meeting at Hatfield Peverel.

In addition Mary mentioned the weekly “Wiggle and Giggle” sessions at Hatfield Peverel but left us to imagine what happens there.