Campaigner writes cookbook for people who've undergone chemotherapy or with low immune system

A woman whose husband underwent a bone marrow transplant has published a new cookbook for people who have undergone chemotherapy or have a low immune system.

Alison Coates, 50, has been inspired to write:- 'The Neutropenic Cookbook' to help families who find themselves in a similar situation.

She also hopes it will have something that will appeal to everyone.

Some of the proceeds from the volume will go towards the AIMS charity.

The work features over 100 tasty, low microbial dinner recipes for low immune systems and post chemotherapy.

Alison said:- "My new cookbook is especially for people who have undergone chemotherapy or who have a low immune system, and a percentage of the sales will go to AIMS charity, which I co-founded in 2018. I'm hoping that the book will help a lot of people."

The Mum of 2 had the idea to write the book after her Husband, James, was in Hospital 7 years ago. The couple live in Tarleton.

She is a Speech, Debate, Presentation Skills and Drama Teacher:- working for Noisy Classroom and runs her own business, Speaking Solutions, as well as founding and running AIMS.

The keen chef loves cooking, reading, and travelling.

Alison and James have 2 grown up daughters aged:- 24 and 29. James is medically retired, but has seen his MS halted since undergoing HSCT nearly seven years ago.

Alison said:- "I wrote the book because I couldn't find anything that fitted this brief when my husband had a bone marrow transplant in 2016. The recipes are mainly just family, comfort food type recipes, but planned so they are totally safe for someone who could be at risk of infection. I've had some lovely feedback from some of the world's top doctors in regard to the book, and also from the BBC journalist Caroline Wyatt, who had the same treatment my James had. I hope that the book will be something that will appeal to everyone and not just people who have to take care to avoid infection. I'm a keen cook and the recipes are really just adapted versions of my family's favourite dinners. I would say the style is definitely:- 'comfort food.' It also includes a lot of gluten free recipes, or suggestions on how to make a recipe gluten free, as my eldest daughter follows a gluten free diet. The charity is AimsCharity.Org and people will be able to buy the book from there and also from Amazon. It's available as a digital download, paperback and hard cover."

AIMS strives to preserve and protect the health and wellbeing of UK patients suffering from Multiple Sclerosis and autoimmune disease, in the provision of signposting, support and grants.
 

Breast cancer survivor to showcase eco-friendly deodorant at international design show

A breast cancer survivor is to showcase her award winning innovation for an eco-friendly deodorant at the international design show in Milan. Laura Meehan, from Liverpool, has developed a 100% sustainable refillable cartridge made of cork, with the help of Lancaster University through its Low Carbon Eco-Innovatory (LCEI) programme. Her startup, Let's Rethink This, has developed a product called Nada, and is aiming to improve on current brands on the market which use metal and plastic.

The design, a spherical dome case containing a refillable deodorant core, won a design award through the WORTH Partnership Project and secured funding to support product development, as well as an opportunity to demonstrate the innovation at the Salone del Mobile during Milan Design Week from:- 18 April to 23 April 2023.

Mum of 3 Laura came up with the idea in 2021 after she was treated for breast cancer. She said:- "I was trying to avoid exposure to certain chemicals so I started to use more natural products. But while I was scrutinising what was available in the market I uncovered a lot of greenwashing with claims certain packaging is recyclable when in reality it isn't."

With a talent for design that saw her previously win an award for a children's product, Laura put pen to paper and set about developing a design for a refillable cartridge made of cork.

Laura explained:- "The cork tree is the only tree which can regenerate after each harvest of bark. It's a remarkable thing. So it seems the perfect basis for a product that biodegrades with less impact on the environment."

But Laura then needed support to formulate a deodorant core so it fit snugly in the dome case.

Through LCEI, a programme which helps small businesses in Liverpool develop low carbon innovations, Laura was given fully funded access to cutting edge chemistry and engineering facilities and researchers from Lancaster University.

Laura commented that:- "Working with the university has brought many benefits. The bottom line is that every stage of developing a new product, especially 1 as different as mine, takes a lot of resources. That is time and money I simply didn't have. The LCEI programme has overcome that barrier and given me access to very clever people with expertise in turning my idea into something tangible. The support has de-risked the development process and accelerated my journey significantly. The experience of working with the university has given me so much confidence and self belief in this product. It has also opened my eyes to what a valuable research and development resource universities like Lancaster are."

With a prototype in her hands, Laura is in discussions with manufacturers, exploring fragrance options and looking for investment.

Laura said:- "We should be at the point of civilization when the presumption is that the products we use are not going to harm us or anyone else. We need to rethink how we make our products and what we make them with, and stop putting the responsibility on consumers all the time. I have been starting from scratch, rethinking the process, being realistic with what technology has to offer so far but putting honesty at the heart of every decision."

Let's Rethink This is 1 of 28 companies that collaborated with Lancaster University as part of LCEI with a variety of aims such as testing a new product, delivering market research, reviewing a business process or analysing the carbon footprint.

Carolyn Hayes, LCEI Project Manager at Lancaster University, said:- "1 of the biggest challenges small businesses and charities have is the lack of resources, such as personnel, knowledge and time, to devote to starting their net zero journey. The LCEI programme offered access to the skills and expertise of undergraduates, postgraduates and world-renowned academics, leveraging our plethora of world class facilities, to identify a bespoke course of action. It helped businesses to rethink their carbon footprint and energy consumption, and encouraged them to be prepared for situations like our current energy crisis."

LCEI was part funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), and involved a consortium including:- Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) and the University of Liverpool.

Lancaster University is continuing its support for SMEs in Merseyside with Net Zero Essentials

a two-day practical programme for organisations looking to understand their carbon footprint and create an action plan.

For more information visit:- Lancaster.AC.UK.