Writers' News - Writing from the front seat

	Writing from the front seat Much of 2004 was a good year for Devon member, Margaret Powling. Not only did she have more than 30 articles published, file a further eight with editors and receive six commissions but she also visited Dublin, Edinburgh and the Isles of Scilly in connection with her hotel and travel features. Then, in December, a routine mammogram resulted in a recall letter within three days. ‘I knew it was bad news,’ says Margaret. A week later an ultrasound and biopsy showed that she had breast cancer. ‘I was in a state of shock for several weeks.’
	The tumour has now been removed and Margaret is undergoing a course of chemotherapy, to be followed by radiotherapy and she has a positive attitude towards the future. ‘I’ve had marvellous support from my husband, family and friends – in particular my many writing friends – and now I’ve started to write again.’ Her first post-cancer commission was from Jon Stock, editor, The Daily Telegraph’s Weekend section, her sixth such feature for that newspaper for which she interviewed novelist, Katie Fforde. After all the medical and surgical treatments, the Breast Care Unit of Torbay Hospital is now offering Margaret some alternative ‘comfort’ treatments but she says triumphantly that cancer is in the back seat where it belongs and writing, once again, firmly in the front seat. We wish Margaret luck with her treatment.