Cancer: recommended titles

Not all storms come to disrupt your life. Some come to clear your path. Viral video producer Briony Benjamin was a few months into a new job when she started feeling crappy. All. The. Time. Doctors told her she was just stressed and should rest more and learn to meditate. But it turns out she had cancer all through her body. Turning the camera on herself, Briony started documenting her journey in the short video 'You Only Get One Life'. Its raw portrayal of her experience went viral, touching millions. Here Briony shares some of the important lessons learnt through her illness and recovery - everything from how to assemble your A Team in times of crisis and learning to make friends with the pain, to happy hacks for cutting yourself some slack and some great tips on being a kick-arse support human when a friend is going through the rough stuff.

Life is full of small details that we tuck away somewhere to revisit later on when we need them most: the calming sound of the sea, that childlike joy when you feel the sun hit your face on an early February morning. The small details which, knitted together, make up an ordinary life. Few understood the importance of these more than Sarah Hughes, who lived with terminal metastatic cancer for over three years and who sadly passed away in April 2021. This book is a celebration of everything that can make up a life, and how to hold it all close: cherish the perspective-changing, exhale-bringing perspective of a trashy novel; learn the upside of chemo (finally being able to fit into flippy French tea dresses); explore the intimate topography of a body that's yours and yours alone.

You've survived cancer - now what? 'The Cancer Misfit' is here to support you when doctors, friends and family have gone 'back to normal' and assumed you can do the same. It's a life raft to help you navigate life after cancer treatment; to help you live better, think better, feel better and embrace your new future.

When Henry Scowcroft's partner Zarah was diagnosed with stage 4 bladder cancer in 2016, their world fell apart. An award-winning science writer for Cancer Research UK, Henry had spent 14 years at the coal-face of cancer research, but now the disease had infiltrated his personal life too. In 'Cross Everything', Henry uses this unique perspective to tell the story of Zarah's illness, how he tried in vain to use everything he'd learnt in his professional career to try to save her, and in doing so, how he realised that even a career writing about cancer daily isn't enough preparation for what comes next. Along the way it brings the reader up to speed with the latest understanding of cancer - a complex disease with a Darwinian capacity to outsmart its host.

'It's cancer'. Dr Philippa Kaye was 39 years old when she heard those dreaded words, and had to cross the divide from being a doctor to being a patient. She soon discovered that her years of training and experience had not prepared her for the realities of actually living with cancer. Filled with practical advice, this book tell the story of her life-changing diagnosis of bowel cancer and its treatment, and in surviving and thriving through cancer and beyond.

Hailed by Glennon Doyle as 'the Christian Joan Didion', Kate Bowler used to accept the modern idea that life is an endless horizon of possibilities, a series of choices which if made correctly, would lead us to a place just out of our reach. A beach body by summer. A trip to Disneyland around the corner. A promotion on the horizon. But then at thirty-five she was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer, and now she has to ask one of the most fundamental questions of all: How do we create meaning in our lives when the life we hoped for is put on hold indefinitely? In 'No Cure for Being Human', Kate searches for a way forward as she mines the wisdom (and absurdity) of our modern 'best life now' advice industry, which offers us exhausting positivity, trying to convince us that we can out-eat, out-learn, and out-perform our humanness.

Rachel Haynes survived bowel cancer, not once, but twice. There have been many unexpected consequences. This is her story. Exploring the ups and downs of treatment with sensitivity, humour, and brutal honesty, Rachel reflects on the psychological impacts of survival not only on herself but on those who have supported her.

Whilst this book doesn't advocate throwing everything down the kitchen sink, it will help you to navigate your feelings through the big C roller coaster, remind you that it's ok to feel one hundred different things in the space of a minute and most importantly show you that you can still live your life and be yourself with cancer. From diagnosis (welcome to the club you never wanted to join) and surviving chemo through to how to cope with family and friends (can everyone just fuck off sometimes), managing the huge mental roller coaster, looking good (lipstick is your best friend) and feeling better (drink the wine), and celebrating milestones (drink more wine), 'F*** You Cancer' is your up-lifting cancer coach in a book. Packed with top tips, laugh out loud stories, insider advice and heart-warming case studies it will transform your mood and encourage you to shout #fuckoffcancer as loudly as you can!

It's said that everybody knows someone who is battling, or has battled, cancer. In a breathtakingly personal account, 'Tits Up' is the story of how Carole Paterson underwent breast cancer treatment from start to finish. Carole was diagnosed with Triple Negative Breast Cancer, which affects just 15% of patients. To keep her mind focused during treatment, she documented her journey day by day, to create an easy to read commentary on life as a cancer patient. Focusing more on the personal side, the book is written with the sole purpose of reaching other cancer patients with the message: you are not alone.

'The Cancer Journals' is an intimate, poetic, and invigorating account of the experience of breast cancer, from biopsy to mastectomy, told by the great feminist and activist Audre Lorde. Moving between journal entry, memoir, and essay, Lorde fuses the personal and political to reflect on the many questions breast cancer raises: questions of survival, sexuality, prosthesis, and self-care.

Sarah Standing is a wife, a mother, a journalist, a toy shop owner, a grandmother, a great friend, a daughter, and a lover of life. She does not have the time, or inclination, to deal with cancer. After a week or two of struggling to catch her breath, Sarah pops along to see her GP for a few tests. By the end of the day, she has a bag of what looks like bone broth draining from her body and is dealing with a diagnosis of non-Hodgkins lymphoma. It's cancer, says her doctor, but it's the good kind. Radiating personality from the very first page, this memoir is filled with joy, hope and love. Covering the six months that Sarah undergoes chemo - separated from her family by the laws of lockdown - this book will make you laugh, sob and grab life firmly by the balls so you can live the hell out of it.

This text provides a holistic and comprehensive approach to prostate cancer recovery by exploring the biological, surgical, psychological and social wellbeing of prostate cancer survivors. It is full of actionable advice, practical strategies and handouts, and includes a comprehensive and accessible Q&A by two esteemed urologists.

At the start of 2021 Richard Herring was diagnosed with testicular cancer. For a man whose output includes a stand up tour titled 'Talking Cock' and who regularly interrogates our attitudes towards masculinity, it was a diagnosis that came with additional layers of complexity. Mixing Rich's personal story alongside what defines masculinity and 'maleness' in society, 'Can I Have My Ball Back?' is not your typical cancer memoir. Whether they're nuts, or bollocks, or gonads, or family jewels; from the phrase 'grow some balls' to infamous WWII songs about Hitler; Rich unpicks the tangle of emotions around his own testing times.

Faced with a sudden and unexpected diagnosis of prostate cancer, Graham Sharpe set about trying to catalogue what he went through en route to acquiring the condition and how he dealt with the grinding process of his treatment, despite having no idea of the ultimate outcome. Along the way he met and befriended many others undergoing the physical and mental stresses of treatment, emotional turmoil comparable with watching their favourite football team lose every game they play. In this intimate memoir charting his own personal experience of coming to terms with prostate cancer, Graham brings humour and a light touch to a serious subject.

A concise overview of the fundamental concepts of cancer biology, ideal for those with little or no background in the field. From cancer epidemiology and the underlying mechanisms, through to tumour detection and treatment, the comprehensive picture revealed will enable students to move into the cancer field with confidence.

'Rogue Cells' is the essential guide to navigating cancer diagnosis and treatment. Coauthored by Dr Richard J. Jones, an internationally renowned cancer physician and researcher, and T. Michael McCormick, this guide provides the important information that patients and physicians need to approach cancer with more hope and less worry and fear. With an engaging blend of science and humor, Jones and McCormick discuss everything from the causes of cancer to preventative measures and treatment options. Their goal is to educate and reassure readers by translating the science into everyday conversational language covering the biology of cancer, the state of current research, prospects for treatment, and different ways to approach a diagnosis.

'The Cancer Guide' is a definitive and inspirational book designed to help patients, partners, family and work colleagues navigate the trials and difficulties associated with cancer and its treatment. With over 40 years worth of experience to her name, O'Dwyer writes about cancer with humanity and clarity, helping to combat the myths and misinformation surrounding the disease in an age of information overload. Adopting an integrated biological and psychological perspective, O'Dwyer highlights the person at the heart of every treatment, providing helpful advice and shared experiences that are able to destigmatise the shame, fear and denial faced by those affected by cancer.

As the survivor of cancer for over 15 years, Chris Wark, bestselling author of 'Chris Beat Cancer', knows the daily struggles involved in healing from cancer. In this daily devotional, Wark offers nuggets of inspiration, encouragement and actions you can take to support your healing path. His trademark positivity and energy will provide you with a life-affirming and forward-looking thought to help each day become more manageable and to get you through to the next.

Challenging a number of myths about living long term with or after cancer, this book offers new insights by delving into areas that are not usually spoken about. Written from a dual perspective- that of a psychologist who had breast cancer and who copes with the long-term effects of treatment - the book contests the assumption that the afflicted person will simply 'get better' or 'move through' to a better situation. Emotional and physical side-effects can worsen over time and people living beyond or with cancer often endure a mismatch between expectations and reality, because they have been told that life would be easier than it actually is.

This is an accessible, sensitive, and evidence-based resource for partners, parents, and other family members navigating the heartache and challenges of caring for a young adult with cancer. When a young person you love is diagnosed with cancer, the impacts on partners and parents is life-altering. In this book, Anne Katz offers her unique perspective as a counselor to help family members as their child or partner goes through diagnosis, treatment, and the years of survivorship. Interweaving clinical practice with evidence-based tips and interventions, each chapter presents the story of a young person with cancer and how the illness impacts those that love them with Dr. Katz providing gentle, targeted advice throughout.

By turns somber and funny but above all provocative, Elizabeth Benedict's 'Rewriting Illness' is a most unconventional memoir. With wisdom, self-effacing wit, and the story-telling skills of a seasoned novelist, she brings to life her cancer diagnosis and committed hypochondria. As she discovers multiplying lumps in her armpit, she describes her initial terror, interspersed with moments of self-mocking levity as she indulges in 'natural remedies,' among them chanting Tibetan mantras, drinking shots of wheat grass, and finding medicinal properties in chocolate babka. She tracks the progression of her illness from muddled diagnosis to debilitating treatment as she gathers sustenance from her family and an assortment of urbane, ironic friends, including her fearless 'cancer guru.'

Cancer diagnosis and treatment doesn't have to be a passive experience, and it shouldn't be. Dr. Kathryn Schmitz's Moving Through Cancer introduces a 21-day program of strength training and exercise for cancer prevention and recovery. Go from diagnosis to thriving with this empowering guide to using strength training and exercise to improve your mental and physical health before, during, and after cancer diagnosis and treatment.

At the age of 54 Claire Gilbert was diagnosed with myeloma, an incurable cancer of the blood. The prognoses ranged from surviving only a few months to living for several decades, with no guarantee of which outcome was to be hers. It was a shocking diagnosis into uncertainty, or rather, into only one certainty: death. But Claire discovered that facing her own mortality was liberating. She discovered this through writing letters. Claire asked her siblings and a small group of friends if they would let her write to them with total honesty about what she was going through, as she was going through it. These letters turned out to be a great solace, and gradually her group of 'dear readers' has grown; what she had to say wasn't just of value to herself, but to others, too.

1 in 15 men. 1 in 18 women. Every year in the UK 43,000 people are newly diagnosed with bowel cancer. Dr Anisha Patel is one of them. Young, fit, and married to a consultant gastroenterologist and bowel cancer screening specialist, in 2018 she was diagnosed with Stage 3 bowel cancer. Despite being a family doctor, Anisha had no idea what would come next. With the benefit of hindsight, and after first-hand experience, she understands now that the diagnosis is just the beginning, that treatment can be physically and mentally overwhelming, and that the hard work really starts when the treatment ends.

With a readable blend of informality and medically endorsed insight, the book has an optimistic outlook and a reassuring tone, but doesn't flinch from discussing the possibility of secondary cancer, or the full impact of treatment and surgery on you or your loved one. It features a huge amount of practical information, including a full toolkit for navigating the days post-treatment - including breathing exercises, mindfulness meditation, journaling, affirmations and a healthy bedtime routine.

This self-help book is the first of its kind: written by a highly experienced clinical psychologist, who has herself gone through the devastating impact of breast cancer, drawing from the evidence-based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) approach to provide you with essential coping skills. This work takes you through what your journey may look like through diagnosis, treatment and recovery, and explains the ACT skills that can help you to cope with the emotional impact of this disease and its treatment.

One in seven women in the UK will receive a breast cancer diagnosis in their lifetime - and that figure is increasing. Reconstruction is a pragmatic but positive handbook for anyone navigating a diagnosis of primary breast cancer. It contains clear, useful advice on what to do and what to expect at all stages of treatment, from questions to ask your doctors and practical ways to reduce your risk of recurrence, right down to what to pack in your hospital bag.

In a new and completely revised 5th edition, this lifesaving guide offers a message of hope to every man facing this illness, and the people who love them. Prostate cancer is a different disease in every man-which means that the right treatment varies for each person. Public awareness for this disease has transformed treatment and opened up new avenues of research; rapid advances in knowledge are being translated in new recommendations for management.

For more than twenty years, 'The Complete Guide to Breast Reconstruction' has been an essential resource for individuals who are undergoing mastectomy and considering breast reconstruction. In this revised edition, two-time breast cancer survivor Kathy Steligo covers the critical information you need, from finding the right surgeon to considering options and making informed decisions. Anyone considering a mastectomy faces a perplexing array of issues, questions, and decisions in their treatment options. This updated and expanded edition provides a comprehensive road map of the entire mastectomy and reconstruction experience. Steligo explains the advantages and disadvantages of postmastectomy options, including staying flat, using prostheses, and undergoing reconstruction with breast implants or a patient's own tissue.

This text is divided into three sections: a detailed section on diet and cancer and the problems you may face during treatment (such as loss of appetite, nausea, sore mouth, change of taste); recipes to cook during treatment, which are nutritionally beneficial and wholesome enough to keep you strong even if you can't eat too much; and a section of recipes for after treatment aimed at keeping you healthy. These recipes are designed to serve smaller portions and two people as well as for families, and there are lots of tips about budgeting, leftovers and freezing.