I got this as a library loan and raced through it in under a day. It has taken me a while to review however as I was in a complete rage after reading. Unbound commissioning editor Joelle Owusu said: “I‚Äôm delighted to be working with Kris on such a unique and exciting book. She is a true inspiration and she puts her heart and vivacious personality into everything she does. This book offers a whole-hearted and funny perspective on the realities of living with cancer and she is not just surviving but thriving. It‚Äôs been a joy to bring the project to life.”

Hallenga founded Coppafeel!, which educates young people about the signs and symptoms of cancer, after she was diagnosed with Stage 4, secondary, incurable breast cancer aged 23. She was told she stood a one in10 chance of surviving beyond five years and Unbound said the launch marks 11 years since her diagnosis. What an inspiring story of a 23 year olds journey with what started as breast cancer during a pandemic. I loved how witty it was and how the authors spirits were so high. I’ve read a few memoirs and this was so powerful.But in my community (myositis), it seems like being a woman, and being a woman of colour, already makes you start with a disadvantage. Kris doesn’t like to be called inspirational or brave just because she has this disease, and I know so many people who agree with her. And yet I still feel anyone who lives with a chronic or terminal condition, and really LIVES with it, is inspirational. I know how hard chronic illnesses can be, and whilst my chronic pain is nowhere near a terminal cancer diagnosis, my belief still stands. Gareth fills his days creating social media content, rubbing shoulders with celebs, curating live events, and trawling through the extensive archives of all the incredible and oh so memeable moments from pop culture history. But as you’ll find out, his journey to creating the life he’s always dreamed of was born out of the battles he faced on the way. Radiotherapy to spine commenced, followed by chemo commenced - FEC-T and eventually a left mastectomy followed by chest radiotherapy. Shortly after I commenced Tamoxifen and monthly zometa IV. My second thank you to Kris is for the resilience, in reading this book I have realised that I’ve never known such a hardship - it has both humbled me and given me such a respect for you and the many others that have felt such struggle. It has put things into perspective and taught me that no day will be too hard.

I’ve been in love with Kris Hallenga for a few years now after first hearing her on Fearne Cotton’s Happy Place. “I believe in hope, I believe in happiness, I believe in cups of tea” has circled my head since my first listen and now since reading this book I have plenty more of her quotes to guide me. My third and final thank you to Kris is just for existing. Although a complete stranger I am so proud of you and everything you have done and have yet to do. I hope the next time I’m in Cornwall I can visit Beyoncé and meet you there. Lots of this book has sat with me and will sit with me the rest of my life, I have already shared quotes with all of my friends and I’ll continue to buy copies and gift them as it’s truly something everyone should read. I hope you continue to live and be happy for many years to come and when the time comes, as it will for us all I hope you know that your presence on this earth will be forever - in the work you’ve done and the minds of people like me and everyone else who has followed your journey and passed it on.

It’s (wait for it) mindfulness! Well, sort of. Actually, it’s conscious awareness of the neurological limitations of our own systems. In other words, learning that the system is likely to offer a false or skewed viewpoint on reality, and to use (for want of a better term) a software patch to correct this error. Because we can’t trust ourselves to make rational decisions, especially based on our ‘gut feelings’ (see here) we need an alternative decision matrix to refer to. I like to call this anchoring, but call it anything you like. Instead of insisting we know what to do when we actually have no idea, and then making a poor decision based on the emotional and cognitive imperative of the moment, we can evaluate the present situation based on a separate platform. This requires some deep (Type II) thought: what is actually effective for you based on the evidence of your past behaviour and its consequences? What provides longer-term meaning and satisfaction, even though it might be awkward, uncomfortable, or even distressing in the short-term? Remember that, when trying to determine this framework, you’ll probably be self-deluding by making stuff up to fit a viewpoint of events (see here for a discussion of values). This is why working with a psychologist can help – it’s easier to be objective about what actually happened. I have, over the years, integrated other treatments alongside my conventional regimen. I’ve tried all the below - and have marked the ones I am currently still benefitting from. Comedian Darren Harriott has come a long way since he was car sharing his way around the UK as a teenager looking to forge a career in stand up comedy. Most recently you’ll find him slicing his way across the ice on the latest season of Dancing on Ice, on numerous panel shows and comedy stages after being nominated for the Best Newcomer Award and Best Show Award at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2017 and 2019. This is the type of book where there are certain parts that the reader can identify with , it doesn't matter who you are there will be something in the book that will speak to you and that is what is beautiful about it , its a book that doesn't exclude anybody. You will go through a rollercoaster of events , you will ride the highs and the lows , you will be happy and you will cry your eyes out .

This book time hops to give you an insight into the life growing up, the life before diagnosis and the life during the diagnosis. It emotionally connects you more the further you read into every chapter. The chapter titles made me smile. I’m glad the chapters were not just labelled a number. The struggle is real enough without anything , or anyone, added to it. In needing to add that this person is someone's mother, someone's daughter, someone's sister, we are conditioned to think we are not enough to simply be someone. For listeners of the Glittering A Turd, CALM is offering an exclusive offer of 40% off a CALM Premium subscription at CALM.COM/GLITTEROh, and I haven’t even touched on the problems associated with priming and memetic infection (see here, here, and here). How to Glitter a Turd aims “help people navigate any of life‚Äôs big challenges, as well as the very particular trauma that is cancer.” Please do rate and review the podcast as it helps others discover it, and if you want to share the story of how you've glittered your turd, send a voice note or WhatsApp to the Turd Hotline >>> +44 (0)776 923 7544 Her writing is honest and brutal, and it needs to be. If people take away one message from this book , it should be this, above all else, don't ever take no for an answer, particularly from a doctor. Question everything!!!!! It is becoming a common theme to have doctors dismiss or misdiagnose patients with these kind of diseases... and one thing that seems like a common denominator is that the patient usually is a woman. It was in the last 3 memoirs I listened to, but those 3 memoirs were also by women.