Back in 1966, a nine-year-old me went to the Mayfair Cinema in Shawlands to see a film called Fantastic Voyage. It told the fantastical science-fiction story of a submarine and crew shrunk to microscopic size, injected into the body of an injured scientist to find and destroy a blood clot in his brain, and so save his life.

Today, the concept of that fantasy has become a reality with 11,000 UK patients swallowing PillCams (tiny little pill-size capsules with a

high-tech miniaturised camera inside) to circulate around the bowel checking for cancers as part of an NHS clinical trial.

Also in the news has been the devastating financial stress placed on cancer patients and the vital role of such charities as Macmillan Cancer Support which has supported 3,700 patients in the past year, helping them cope with increased heating costs as they isolate at home and buy clothes as their body shapes changes due to the ravages of cancer and the side-effects of treatments.

The brilliant work of our NHS clinicians is the sharp end of the business for those of us battling cancer. But without pioneering research we wouldn’t have the breakthroughs in new treatments.

And without compassionate, practical support – both financial and moral – for patients struck down by cancer, many would lose that vital strength to stay positive in soul and body during the fight of their lives.

One of the biggest obstacles for cancer patients living through this Covid pandemic is the isolation from family and friends. This is also a huge burden on those same friends and family who feel even more powerless to show their support and demonstrate it. When a good friend of many years contacted me to say he’d come up with an idea to paint portraits in return for a charity donation to keep him busy during lockdown and wanted me to name a charity, I really did get a feelgood boost – as did he.

Another close pal who has felt powerless to help much this past year has come up with the idea of being my surrogate runner in the 2021 Berlin Marathon. He’ll do the physical stuff I can’t do and together we aim to raise thousands of pounds for Macmillan in sponsorship.

Last year, my wife, Laura, raised more than £400 for Macmillan and together we both completed The Kiltwalk, raising £1,500 for The Herald Covid Memorial Garden project – we have lost two good friends who were battling cancer when they caught Covid-19.

Showing your support through deeds and actions to support research and care can’t replace cuddles and hugs but they do generate positivity – and that’s a very essential medicine.

Ally McLaws is a freelance specialist in powerful writing, business marketing and reputation management. See the full range of services on offer and view all previous back issues of this column at: www.mclawsconsultancy.com