F*** You Cancer by Deborah James

I’ve followed Deborah on Instagram for quite some time. I say followed, but I practically mean stalked. She was diagnosed with stage four Bowel cancer at 35 years old – not that you would know it from looking at the way she conducts her life. She doesn’t sugar coat her diagnosis, but rather spreads awareness to ensure others aren’t faced with the same outcome. She writes a column for The Sun, hosts a podcast called You, Me and The Big C, and has been known to travel on public transport wearing a poo emoji costume…

When Deborah’s book arrived on my doorstep I didn’t know what to expect. I wondered if it was going to be a biography of sorts – more of an insight into what she’s been living through for the last year and a half. The sub-heading should’ve given me a bit of a clue, really. ‘How to face the big C, live your life and still be yourself.’ Literally what Deborah does on a daily basis on Instagram.

F*** You Cancer is a friendly, funny, warm companion for those finding themselves thrown into the cancer club. Sadly, that’s quite a lot of us, with current statistics showing that 1 in 2 of us will get cancer. 1 in 2. The chances are you will at some point feel you need someone to understand you. I strongly believe this book would be a good starting point. It isn’t scientific and cold, but neither is it Deborah telling us everything about her own diagnosis and using it like a sob story. Not. At. All. If anything the parts where she talks about herself are quite matter of fact. This book is about the reader. I truly felt every sentence has been written for the reader at a time when everything might seem too overwhelming and confusing.

For those close to someone who’s going through cancer treatment, I think this could offer a bit of an insight into their current thoughts, and what they might need.

I think we could all learn a thing or two from the one and only BowelBabe.

Pre-order here.