A day he won’t have

I had bumped into a friend at the cash machine. We greeted each other, as we always do, with a … More

Open letter to Arthur Frank (on reading At the Will of the Body)

Dear Arthur Frank I’m writing to say thank you for your extraordinary book At the Will of the Body. It is … More

On the Edge

  On the Edge After your mother dies, you will learn to live on the edge of life, to brace … More

A bright soul keeps on beating

  Dying Nothing to be said about it, and everything – The change of changes, closer or further away: The … More

Dreaming about X

I dreamt about my friend X last night. I don’t think I normally dream about him, and don’t recall having … More

Breathing Space July, by Tomas Tranströmer

Breathing Space July   The man who lies on his back under huge trees is also up in them. He … More

A sense of wonder, by Arthur Frank

The only real difference between people is not health or illness but the way each holds onto a sense of … More

What drives you?

‘What drives you?’ ‘I’ve only just woken up!’ I say to the book. ‘Don’t care. It’s morning. Work to be … More

On not having cancer

  On certain afternoons I am certain it has come back. A twinge in my right side, where the pain … More

Cancer vs. chipper

The thing about having cancer was that it was pretty obvious what was going on. I had been feeling fairly … More

What you read in 2015

This blog would be nothing without its readers. Thank you to everyone who stopped by, made a comment or a … More

Marking cancer (by not marking it)

‘So you’re not going to write about it?’ ‘I’ve been writing about it for years. Two whole books of it! … More

A day he won’t have

I had bumped into a friend at the cash machine. We greeted each other, as we always do, with a … More

Guest blog post: Writing my way through bereavement, by Sue Hepworth

Writing my way through bereavement   I don’t approve of death. I’m with Edna St Vincent Millay: I am not … More

Guest Blog Post: Don’t Think About A White Horse, by Kate Bowles

Don’t Think About A White Horse   Coming closer, he turns out to be you – or nearly. Once you … More

On writing and illness

Reading Arthur W. Frank’s astonishing At the Will of the Body  recently has given me pause to reflect on the relationship … More

Open letter to Arthur Frank (on reading At the Will of the Body)

Dear Arthur Frank I’m writing to say thank you for your extraordinary book At the Will of the Body. It is … More

Poetry and illness

Medicine The black hair of my Chinese doctor gleams like combed ink as he leans over his desk, with quick … More