Medical non-fiction is extraordinarily popular with books as diverse as Adam Kay’s ‘This is going to hurt’ and Paul Kalanithi’s ‘When breath becomes air’ appealing to a wide range of readers. The pandemic has only heightened the reading public’s interest in health. Fifty percent of people will develop cancer in their lifetime: acute leukaemia is one of the most curable types of cancer so telling stories of patients with leukaemia is relevant and important. They are inspiring and give us hope.
Many people are fascinated by the work and lives of doctors who treat cancer; the challenges they face, the emotions they go through, and how they work to improve outcomes. As a world expert in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, who has contributed to this improvement in cure rates, I believe I am well placed to write this very personal memoir. I anticipate the target audience will include readers who are interested in health and healthcare, patients with leukaemia or related conditions and their friends and families, and health care workers who look after patients with cancer.