'My cancer will not stop me from helping others'
BBCHaving terminal cancer will not stop a former head teacher from helping others going through the same experience, "or make me give up", he has said.
Daniel Theobalds was forced to retire from St James' Church of England Primary School, in Lower Darwen, Lancashire, following a diagnosis of bowel cancer in 2021.
But despite receiving palliative care the 48-year-old has set up an organisation which gifts essentials to others going through cancer, and he has even got his former schoolchildren involved.
"Helping other people makes me feel good and that can only be good for me in my condition at the minute," he said.
Since his retirement in 2023, Daniel has set up a community interest company called The Cancer Bank, which exists to support people on their cancer journey.
Working in partnership with East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, it provides bags of products to give to people for when they begin their cancer treatment.
"I've got a brilliant set of family and friends that have supported me all the way through this," he added.
"I'm lucky enough that I've got a mindset to put aside the stuff that is a little bit frightening, and free me in a way that I can say actually I am very grateful for today and let's go try and find the gold in the mud.
"Let's try and be positive, do something that helps."
Daniel added he wanted to "ease the financial burden" that cancer patients face by providing products in a similar way to what a foodbank does.
The project offers two types of bags, a basic package and a breast cancer pack.
"The basic package has practical items in it such as emollient cream, hand sanitiser, shower sleeves, soft toothbrushes and lip balm," Daniel said.
"The breast cancer packs include these but also has specific items such as head scarves, eyebrow tattoos, soft hairbrushes and dark nail polish which most people don't realise is needed to protect your nails if you are undergoing treatment for breast cancer.
"It costs a lot, so we buy products that people need - things you have to buy for yourself when you are on a cancer journey that you don't know about until you're going through that journey."
Daniel's family and friends have helped collect donated products and packed bags ready for hospital drops.
His former school and wider community have also helped raise donations.
Primary school pupil, Muhammed, 11, said: "He is very kind and compassionate and even though he is struggling he didn't just think of himself, he thought of others going through the same thing as him and he's now helping them."
"He makes everybody happy," added Debbie Leigh, 11.
Willow, 10, said: "He's funny, kind and brave because he is pushing himself through cancer and he didn't stop seeing us and he would always send a video to show how he is and show how happy he is."
For cancer patient Elaine Cassidy, receiving one of the bags was "overwhelming".
She said: "I cried. I don't normally cry, I'm not somebody that cries but cancer does change you. It changes you a lot.
"You think about things differently and when you're presented with that, it is really emotional.
"It brings it home to you, just what your life means, little things like hats and moisturiser and lip balms which seem really tiny to people but it's not, it's somebody else thinking about you."
Daniel said he is hoping to turn The Cancer Bank into a charity next year and is in the process of developing an educational programme around the prevention of cancer and auto immune disorders.
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