As many of you will know from my earlier post, I was diagnosed with cancer at the turn of the year. I have been open about that journey because I believe transparency matters — both as a person and as your elected councillor. What I did not expect was that, on top of everything else, I would find myself fighting sepsis as well.

In early February I was admitted to the ETU at the Horton General Hospital. My temperature had spiked, I was shaking uncontrollably, and I felt worse than I had at any point since my cancer diagnosis. The medical team acted quickly and I am grateful they did. Sepsis, as many people know, can be fatal if it is not caught and treated promptly.

Sepsis occurs when the body's response to an infection spirals out of control, damaging its own tissues and organs. In my case it was almost certainly connected to my ongoing treatment — I had to have procedure to position a stent in my liver so that it could drain properly, any abdominal intervention runs the risk of infection.

I was placed on intravenous antibiotics immediately and kept in hospital for three weeks while the medical team monitored my condition closely. It was not a pleasant experience. There were moments when I genuinely wondered whether this was going to be the thing that finished me off rather than the cancer itself.

Thankfully, the antibiotics worked. My temperature came down, the shaking stopped, and slowly I began to feel more like myself again. The NHS staff who cared for me were, as always, absolutely outstanding. I cannot praise them highly enough.

This episode of sepsis meant that my chemotherapy could not begin, in effect allowing the aggressive cancer to grow like topsy throughout my abdomen. But I understand the reasoning — pushing ahead too soon could make things considerably worse.

The messages of support I have received from residents across Banbury Grimsbury and Castle have meant more to me than I can easily express. I read every one of them. Knowing that people care — genuinely care — gives me a reason to keep going on the days when it feels very hard indeed.

I will continue to update you as things develop. In the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact me if you have a local issue that needs attention. My small team of volunteers are working hard to ensure that casework continues even while I am unable to be as active as I would like.

Thank you, as always, for your kindness and your patience.