Last night, lying in bed waiting for sleep to find me (I started the drug Clonidine for hot flushes on Monday, so am hopeful it might find me soon), I tried to imagine living through cancer without friendship. I imagined waking up (starting to forget what that feels like) to a silent inbox, to a phone with no messages and a living room without wonderful words and cards to keep me company. I imagined a Saturday without laughter and a Sunday without ice cream, teas and smiles. I imagined a world without all the beautiful faces I have come to love over the years. I imagined surgery without handmade drain bags and a new boob without chocolate (probably would be the size of a pin). I imagined life – and found I didn’t really have a life at all.

Friendship is such a powerful thing. But, I am sad to admit that it is something I have often taken for granted. That is not because I don’t love each and every one of the wonderful people that continue to inspire me and shape my world. It’s just that, my life before cancer felt so hectic that I thought doing my hair was a bit of a luxury (now I have the time to straighten it, it’s all shiny and bald). I remembered birthdays. I baked cakes. I made bath creamers in cupcake cases that looked like white chocolate (and forgot to label them – oops). But I really wasn’t as ‘present’ as a friend should be. I also have as many friendship circles as I do interests. I move between them (often on the edge), when I should dwell a little longer.  And for that, I am very sorry.

Cancer has a way of not just reordering those priorities, but highlighting just how important friendship can be. True friends (which also includes my amazing family and the lovely Duncan) shine a light on dark days. True friends are those with whom you can share a story or a silence. True friends just know when smiles are covering up tears. True friends don’t have to be close to comfort. True friends understand – and open themselves up to being understood. True friends accept who you are and help you become who you should be. True friends are the real wonders of the world.

So, this is my little way of celebrating all that is beautiful about friends. Through my pink hearts campaign (click here to read more) I hope to thank each and every one of you for being there when I needed you the most. For now, you’ll just have to take this as a down payment! I vow to be there for all of my friends because I know how important just being there really is.

I hope, wherever you are, you are thinking about all the friends that fill your hearts and your inboxes. Is there someone you’ve been meaning to call? Is there someone with whom you’d love to reconnect? Is there someone who makes you smile, but who you’ve never had the opportunity to thank? Well, there’s no time like the present!

There’s a wonderful saying (yes, another of those quotes that makes me happy): ‘Good friends will bail you out of jail, but a great friend will be sitting next to you saying: “Damn, that was fun”.’ While I am not about to throw caution to the wind and end up in jail (I have already committed one crime since diagnosis (click here to read) and that is enough to last me a lifetime), I do believe that experiences are made for sharing, shoulders for supporting and sides for standing by.

Here’s to great friends and to a future packed with great adventures!