A FORMER cancer patient at Poole Hospital is giving something back to the doctors and nurses who pulled her through the ordeal, through her love of art.

Keen artist Jean Beal was diagnosed with cancer in her right tonsil 18 months ago after finding a pea-sized lump on the side of her neck.

Jean, of Woodlands Avenue, Hamworthy, went through two operations followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy in a bid to fight the disease.

"I felt that they worked really hard to get me through it all," she said.

"Since then I've not been able to thank them myself."

Jean had two of her paintings turned into greetings cards and raised £1,300 for the hospital selling them to family and friends.

"On this occasion I wanted it to go to the two people that got me through my treatment and asked if there was anything they required," she said.

"It came back that they were desperate for textbooks for head and neck cancer in the library for training purposes, so I said I would like the money to go on the textbooks and anything left over to go to £100,000 they were hoping to raise for laser equipment."

But raising more than £1,000 wasn't enough of a thank you for Jean.

She sent out letters to her friends in the art world requesting their help in brightening up the walls of the wards where she spent so much of her time while she was being treated.

Her lounge is now rapidly filling up with paintings donated from her artist friends, which she will pass on to staff at the hospital.

"It's not just for the patients but for the staff and visitors as well," said Jean.

"If it's just a typical Monet print people don't notice it because they've seen it all before.

"But if there's something that's original or a little bit different you see people go up and have a look."

First published: May 21