Kevin Donaghy Launches Edinburgh-Based Publishing Firm to Support Those Facing Life-Altering Diagnoses

Cancer-awareness advocate Kevin Donaghy has established a new publishing company aimed at assisting individuals affected by serious health diagnoses. Diagnosed with incurable stage 4 metastatic melanoma in December 2019 at age 50, Donaghy found solace and strength in sharing his personal journey and hearing others’ cancer experiences. This led to the creation of his first book, Stories of Cancer and Hope (SOCAH), which garnered international attention.

Building on the success of SOCAH, Donaghy, alongside business partners Derek Watson and Daniel Wood—who contributed to producing the initial book—has founded Shandon Publishing Ltd in Edinburgh. The company’s mission is to publish future works centred on similar themes, offering support to those navigating challenging health circumstances.

Shandon Publishing plans to collaborate with charities and community groups to release books featuring personal stories from patients, carers, loved ones, and healthcare professionals affected by various health conditions. Proceeds from book sales will be donated to charitable organisations. The firm’s inaugural publication will be a reprint of SOCAH, responding to sustained demand since its original release two years ago.

“This is a proud moment for three of us,” Donaghy said. “The owner of our original publisher retired and that was the catalyst for us to create a sustainable publishing model rooted in social purpose. It’s our part-time passion project and will not make us any money. We all have jobs which pay the bills but we are incredibly passionate about carrying on the work from SOCAH to help people affected by life-changing diagnoses so they don’t feel alone.”

He added, “We’re very much looking forward to the journey ahead and helping as many people as possible through the publication of personal stories. Myself and Daniel have experienced first-hand the benefit of sharing personal experiences of cancer. Along with our good friend Derek, who I have known since we moved into the same tenement in Shandon Place in Edinburgh in 1997, we wanted to have the ability to publish more powerful lived-experience stories around physical and mental health. By doing this we want to raise awareness, reduce isolation and generate funds for charitable causes, while giving hope to others – and themselves – and building a community.”

Since its initial publication, 10,000 copies of Stories of Cancer and Hope have circulated, raising over £2,000 for Maggie’s cancer centres. The book has been distributed to all 27 Maggie’s centres across the UK, with royalties continuing to support the charity.

Andrew Anderson, Maggie’s Induction and Development Lead, commented: “We would like to thank Kevin for supporting Maggie’s in the last couple of years with his book ‘Stories of Cancer and Hope’, which has been read by many people living with cancer and who visit our Maggie’s centres across the UK. Kevin has also donated over £2000 to Maggie’s from the sales of this book. We would also like to wish Kevin, Daniel and Derek every success with their new social enterprise publishing company which will endeavour to support more people to find community and feel less alone.”