CosmoJude

Friday night saw a leaving do in Perth for a colleague of mine heading to the Shetlands for a new job, new personal pastures and doubtless adventures-a-plenty.

But this picture is not about her. It's about another colleague and friend, who I admire for her courage in the last year through some considerable adversity, and the sheer joie de vivre she embodies. Not only did she lose her mother to one cancer, but she then suffered another herself, and has been through a hell of a physical and emotional wringer.

Throughout it all she has faced every hurdle and kick in the face with bravery, pragmatism and humour, never moaning, never wallowing. Continuing to work during even the most the challenging times of her treatment, never asking for help and never allowing the damned cancer to rob her of the other important things in her life which give her joy.

So last night it was especially good to see her pretty well recovered, hair growing back, jokes firing on all cylinders and tackling Cosmopolitans (hers, mine and and another's!) with gusto!