John Walker Pattison was born in the wonderful seaside town of South Shields 67 years ago. He has been a dedicated Newcastle United supporter since 1969 when he took his steps through the clackerty clack of the turnstiles at St James Park. However, there is little doubt that the crucial hinge in John’s life is his beautiful wife, June. “Nothing is more important than family,” says John. He retired from his post as a senior clinical nurse specialist and head of service in haematology at his local hospital, partially due to chronic illnesses as a consequence of the salubrious chemotherapy and radiotherapy he received decades ago - this being the same hospital that established his cancer diagnosis almost fifty years earlier. At that time, his parents were told that he would not survive, yet here he is today, humbled to be one of the longest living cancer survivors in the UK. Today, he is once again facing a cancer battle, but is determined to fight and continue his travels to America, the country that captured his heart. He has written dozens of articles for national and international nursing and medical press - presented lectures the length and breadth of the country on many aspects of haematology and cancer management. He is honoured to have won numerous awards both locally and nationally for his work in haematology. However, Pattison knows that being one of the longest cancer survivors is his greatest achievement. Pattison enjoys the solitude and escapism of fly fishing and photographing Native Americans. More significantly, he found solace throughout his cancer journey in the history, and spirituality of the Lakota Sioux Nation. In 2018, he would spend time on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation with the indigenous people of South Dakota, the people who, unknowingly, supported him through his, and life's greatest challenge, cancer.