Simon Armitage on “The Campaign”: A poem commissioned by Yorkshire Cancer Research

To mark World Cancer Day (on 4 February), Poet Laureate Simon Armitage has penned a new poem, inspired by the experiences of people affected by cancer in Yorkshire and the vital contributions of researchers and charity supporters seeking to find and fund cures.  

The poem, entitled “The Campaign”, pays tribute to a century of progress in cancer prevention, early diagnosis and treatment, while highlighting the work still needed to create a future free from cancer – in Yorkshire and beyond. 

Yorkshire-born Simon Armitage was initially inspired by a defining moment in the charity’s history: its first public fundraising appeal 100 years ago. In January 1926, at the Queen’s Hotel in Leeds, the charity’s first Honorary Secretary, Sir Harold Mackintosh, issued a rallying call across Yorkshire to “deliver the attack upon cancer, the great enemy of mankind, and become the new Saint George in the work of slaying the dragon.”

Before writing the poem, Simon visited the Yorkshire Cancer Research Centre in Harrogate to learn more about the charity’s life-saving work. He listened to the experiences of people across Yorkshire - researchers pioneering new discoveries, fundraisers dedicated to saving lives, families who have sadly lost loved ones, and those living with cancer.  

Here, Simon Armitage shares the inspiration behind his poem, the insights he gained into the charity’s work, and his experience meeting people across Yorkshire who inspire vital progress in the region and beyond. 

What inspired the overall concept of the poem?

Using metaphorical rather than scientific language, Mackintosh described cancer as the great enemy of mankind and that we must do the work of Saint George and slay the dragon. Saint George has always been a figure to rally around, not just in this country, but around the world. I ran with the idea of cancer as an ‘enemy’ that must be tackled through ingenuity, decades of research and painstaking discovery. Cancer is also a dragon in the mind, demanding a certain bloody-mindedness - a true Yorkshire characteristic – to overcome the disease as a shadow and a threat to our daily lives.

What are the key themes of the poem?

The poem highlights the tenacity and resilience of researchers and supporters who have driven pioneering treatments and breakthroughs over many decades. I wanted to convey a shared determination to keep moving forward while confronting the fact that Yorkshire is impacted by cancer more than many other areas of the country.  

The poem is also rooted in themes of hope and inspiration, reflecting a community built on care and respect across Yorkshire. It invokes all the ways in which money has been raised to fund research in the region, and how the disease can continue to be confronted through community, generosity, creativity, and fun.

What was your experience meeting people across Yorkshire who have been affected by cancer and play a vital role in the charity’s work?

It was saddening to hear experiences of illness and bereavement, including children whose parents were ill, parents who had lost children and people affected by different types of the disease. I felt very moved by their experiences.

It was also a privilege to listen to testimonies of determination, resilience and hope, and to learn about how Yorkshire Cancer Research has given people a positive focus in their lives, especially through forming friendships and bonds with others in the same situation. There was also humour in the room, dark and ironic humour at times, but humour nonetheless, and accounts of recoveries and good health that had followed illness. To put it in poetic terms, it was both inspiring and informative. I learned a great deal. 

Why did you choose to end the poem with the call to ‘keep Yorkshiring on’ and what does that phrase mean to you?

I think Yorkshire people are seen as no-nonsense, plain-talking and on the front foot. The poem begins with that idea, that "we speak as we find", which in the case of cancer is important. We must get the subject out in the open and not make it taboo. At the end of the poem, we circle back to the same notion of rising to a challenge and finding strength, pride and confidence in our regional character.  

I was born in a small village called Marsden in West Yorkshire. If you broke me in half, you’d see a White Rose all the way through.

What did you learn about Yorkshire Cancer Research after visiting the Centre?

Yorkshire Cancer Research might be regionally based but it punches well above its weight. It has contributed huge breakthroughs in cancer treatment and research, both nationally and internationally. Yorkshire is a huge county and has a large number of people who are diagnosed with cancer every year, and it’s inspiring to see the charity’s commitment to change that.

For over a century, the charity has worked tirelessly to improve the health of people across Yorkshire and in doing so, has contributed to progress that benefits lives far beyond the region. Yet there is still much to do, with Yorkshire facing significant inequalities in cancer outcomes. None of this progress can happen without funding.

Did you draw on any personal experiences when writing the poem?

It would be difficult to find anyone who has not felt the effects of cancer, either directly or indirectly. I've lost family and friends to cancer and know many people who are currently dealing with it, as well as those who have had cancer and are now cancer-free. Writing the poem felt like an act of solidarity with them, as well as an exploration into a subject I didn't know a great deal about or had even shied away from.