Friends create poetry book

Two friends who met while waiting for breast cancer treatment in Inverness have published a poetry book to raise money for charity.

Author Mae Bon, 62, and artist Maggie Gallacher, 60, said they wanted to give something back to the hospital where they underwent radiotherapy treatment and to the cancer charity that supported them.

Their book Reflect On! is a collection of short Haiku verses designed to “inspire calm and reflection”. Haiku is a very short and specialised form of Japanese poetry.

All proceeds from the sale will be shared between Maggie’s Highlands and the Highland Breast Centre at Raigmore Hospital.

Mrs Bon, of Saltburn, Easter Ross, said: “We were sitting having coffee together when I said I would like to give

“We wanted to show that there is life after cancer”

something back and that’s where the idea for the book came from. I visited theMaggie’sCentre a lot and I always found it so warm and welcoming.”

Mrs Bon, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006, started Haiku poetry while attending creative writing workshops at Maggie’s in Inverness.

Mrs Gallacher, of Laide, Wester Ross, was diagnosed with breast cancer at the same time as Mrs Bon. She visited Maggie’s after her treatment had finished and wentontobecomea volunteer. She said: “It was really about two women who wanted to give something back, butwho also wanted to show that there is life after cancer.”

Aileen Dickson, the charity’s community fundraiser, said: “Mae and Maggie are both incredibly inspirational women.”