Hello,

Please excuse the broadcast nature of this communication. This has taken much thought and deliberation.

Over the next month or so, I will be stepping away from all work for a period of at least two years.  The reason for this is to focus 100% on my health and my family.

As you know I have now had Cancer twice in the last twelve months. This cancer is thought to have been caused by radiation treatment received for a different cancer in 2015, and currently my prognosis is very precarious.

To be frank, if working by percentages, the reality is that there is a much higher chance of me being dead in the next 5 years than alive.

What you may not be fully aware of are my day-to-day difficulties, not being able to eat or drink for over a year now, constant fatigue and bleeding in my throat after talking. My health situation is not simple and managing these daily challenges is taking its toll.

The risk of cancer recurrence and subsequent death has made me pause and realise that I need to focus 100% on giving myself the highest chance of succeeding in staying alive for my myself, and for my family.

I have put my heart and soul into making DiMO a product that can change the way that publishers work, to put creative ahead of administration and help keep publishing businesses profitable, and I’m proud of what we have achieved so far for the publishers using our software.

I’ve struggled with the decision to step away from the business, it is a real personal conflict, and I wish I could be a part of its completion, but I need to hand it over. I’ve become acutely aware of the fragility of life, and I’m choosing to give myself and my family all my focus and energy for my foreseeable future.

Amanda Maclean, who has been with the business since March, will be working through the implications of this decision with our customers. DiMO has proven that it can significantly streamline and simplify publishing services, saving time and money for publishing business. The software is robust, however, given my decision to stop work completely, a fundamental change to the way the business is supported and funded will be required. I truly believe that DiMO can continue to make a difference now and into the future, and I will do everything I can to help ensure this.

Cancer is a tricky disease to say the least, but I am confident that despite the odds I can beat it. So, don’t write me off just yet! I need to take the time now, and do all I can, in the hope that I’ll be around annoying people for many years to come 🙂