Clare's Story
I have always had a passion for dogs; my parents bought their first puppy just before I was born, and they have always surrounded me. Life feels empty without them. After a career in sports event/client management, I stopped working and brought up my three children. Always having an interest in photography, and as my kids were unwilling subjects, I soon turned to photographing dogs and set up my photography business.
In 2020, my personal life took a new direction, which saw me relocating to Devon at the beginning of COVID. It was a struggle being in a new area being a self-employed photographer, so I did the next best thing and took a job with a travel marketing agency as a Social Media Manager, where I could still utilise my creativity.
HOW THE DOG BOOK PROJECT BEGAN
The Diagnosis
Fast forward to the end of 2023 and I started to become sick with several chest infections and pleurisy. After many X-rays, scans, doctors and hospital appointments, in March 2025, I went for a biopsy. Two weeks later, my life turned upside down when I was diagnosed with mesothelioma, an incurable, aggressive cancer usually caused by asbestos. My prognosis was good as they caught it early, 5 years!
I decided to take medical retirement in April 2025 and have spent the summer seeing lots of my family, making memories and coming to terms with my diagnosis. I have had incredible support from my team at Torbay Hospital and also the charity, Mesothelioma UK.
I started thinking about what I could do to raise awareness around Mesothelioma, not one of my family members or friends had ever heard of it, in fact, I couldn't even pronounce it at first! I started an Instagram account to showcase facts about the disease along with reels of me charting my progress, which has been quite cathartic for me and informative for my followers. Then I started to think I needed a project, something to get my teeth into, and from there was born my idea to create a high-end photography book of dogs with profits going to Mesothelioma UK.
CLARE'S JOURNEY
Life Today
I am currently taking each day as it comes, managing my pain and trying to play golf when I am well enough.
I recently became a grandmother for the first time and am excited to enjoy these amazing life moments with my family. I am surrounded by a fabulous support network and will continue wearing my positive pants as I hope to join a Mesothelioma trial very soon.
You can follow my journey on Instagram to receive regular updates.
LIVING LIFE TO THE FULL
Register Your Interest
Sessions are relaxed, fun, and tailored to each dog’s personality. Once you’ve booked, you’ll receive all the details you need to prepare for your shoot.
Why This Project Matters
Mesothelioma is an incurable, aggressive cancer caused by asbestos and most commonly seen in men in their 70s and 80s. But calling it an “old man’s disease” doesn’t tell the whole story. Today, more women and younger people are being diagnosed too, often because of second-hand or environmental exposure. The truth is, mesothelioma isn’t limited to one group—it can affect anyone.
It is evident that awareness needs to be raised; It took 16 months for my diagnosis simply because mesothelioma is often overlooked in women and younger people. I suffered from 5 chest infections with pleurisy over 6 months and was treated with an array of antibiotics and painkillers. I had 6 chest x-rays, 5 contrast scans and 1 PET-scan before I was eventually sent for a biopsy, as mesothelioma just wasn’t considered in a 57-year-old female who had never worked with asbestos. (It’s usually only diagnosed by having a tissue biopsy).
Raising awareness saves lives by encouraging early detection, educating communities on risk factors, and pushing for stronger protections. It also builds support networks for patients and drives funding toward research and better treatments. In short, awareness creates prevention, hope, and change.
ABOUT THE INCURABLE CANCER, MESOTHELIOMA
