| | Watford Observer on-line Dec 25th 2010 and in paper - also below an article fron the Uxbridge Gazette
By Adam Binnie
The race for a festive top-ten hit has long since finished, but a Chorleywood musician has written and recorded a song for his own Christmas number ones – the staff at Mount Vernon Hospital.
Earlier this week national newspaper headlines slammed Britain's below-average survival rates for both breast and bowel cancer.
However, former teacher and prostate-cancer patient Bob Arthy, of Chalfont Lane, was so moved by the radiologists of Mount Vernon Hospital, he wrote and recorded them their own song called: (click to play) "Vernon Girls"
The 69-year-old said: “I am struck, as others are, by the friendliness and positivity shown by the radiologists, who are are all young ladies and are all very nice too.They give people hope where there used to be despair, and banish fear with their brightest smiles. They make all of us who wait for 'beaming' [radiotherapy] feel very positive about beating our big bad cancer beasts.”
Mr Arthy was diagnosed with cancer in July 2008, and received a life-saving operation in August.
He has been receiving radiotherapy every day for four weeks at the hospital's breast, bowel and prostate cancer treatment centre in Rickmansworth Road.
On Wednesday afternoon he performed his song “Vernon Girls” in front of an audience of hospital staff in the restaurant.
Sara Abbassi, research radiologist, said: “The song sounded lovely, the words were really from the heart, it makes you feel like your job is very worthwhile. When Mr Arthy came here he was quite afraid of radiotherapy, he had so many questions, but it is our job to try to save people's lives and give them the best treatment. Patients are looking for professionalism, a smile and hope. We treat them like they are our own family.”
The former parish councillor has written and recorded songs about a number of different subjects over the years, including one urging voters to the ballot boxes during council elections.
Just days after his live-saving surgery in 2008, he recruited the help of rock-star neighbour, New Seekers frontman Mick Flynn, to write and record a song detailing the tell-tale symptoms of prostate cancer, titled “Test in Time" or 'Doctor Please Don’t Send Me Away.' (go to "The Fopsters" for this and more)
Prostate cancer will kill about 10,000 British men in the next 12 months, and is often treatable if discovered early enough.
Cathy Williams, general manager of the cancer centre, said: “It brought a tear to my eye, it's something a lot of patients think but it's so nice that Bob can put it into words. To do it in the canteen for everyone to see was excellent. All of the staff are very highly thought of.”
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