How Luton's Griffin Players gave Josh the strength and energy to beat cancer

Griffin Players chairman Josh Thompson celebrates being cancer free. He has raised more than £50,000 for cancer charities.

Five years ago he was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma

Josh Thompson – young chairman of the town’s Griffin Players Amateur Dramatics Society – likes to quote John Steinbeck about the future of the theatre, particularly as the curtains will soon be coming down for good on the Players’ home, the Library Theatre.

The legendary Nobel prize winning author said: “The theatre is the only institution in the world which has been dying for 4,000 years and has never succumbed. It requires tough and devoted people to keep it alive.”

And Josh, 30, has both qualities in spades.

Josh Thompson playing the Dame in Narcoleptic Beauty - last year's adult panto performed by the Griffin Players

Five years ago he was diagnosed with anaplastic large cell lymphoma, a rare and aggressive form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Because he was young and fit otherwise, he became one of the first people in the world to trial a new form of treatment.

Josh recalls being given an array of advice at the time and says one that really resonated was that cancer breeds on negativity: “So for me it was incredibly important to remain positive.

"And a lot of that positivity came from the Griffin Players. Spending time at rehearsals with a group of like-minded people gave me the strength and energy to beat cancer.”

So much so that now, cancer free, he has written and is both co-directing and starring as an Ugly Sister in the group’s upcoming adult panto, Cinder’s Fella.

Josh says: “Theatre has always held a very special place in my heart – even more so since it helped me through one of the hardest periods of my life.

"It’s been a joy and a privilege to create Cinder’s Fella and it means the world to me to spread some of the fun and positivity that helped save my life five years ago.”

Since then Josh has raised more than £50,000 for cancer charities and his work to help others fight this disease continues.

The Griffin Players – run entirely by volunteers – will be fundraising for Cancer Research UK during the panto run.

> Cinder's Fella will be at the Library Theatre from January 19 – 21, and from January 26 – 28. Tickets can be bought at www.thegriffinplayers.co.uk