Ticking Off Breast Cancer by Sara Liyanage

When Mum was diagnosed with breast cancer I just wanted to find other people who were going through the same thing, so that I could gain a better understanding of what was going to happen next.

This book does just that.

It documents Sara's primary breast cancer journey in a relateable way, explaining what she is going through both physically as well as emotionally. And of course it's full of sensible, practical tips and check lists to help you prepare for each stage of diagnosis, treatment and moving on. 

We’d also recommend this book to family & friends, so you know how to help and support a loved one.

But don't just take our word for it... Ticking Off Breast Cancer is:

- Number 1 Amazon bestseller

- Top 20 Waterstones bestseller

- Finalist for The People's Book Prize 2019

“Ticking Off Breast Cancer is a candid, thoughtful account of the way Sara dealt with a breast cancer diagnosis. She is one impressive woman.” Victoria Derbyshire, journalist, broadcaster and writer

“I love the honesty and practicality of Sara’s to-do-lists. It inspires you to create your own – here’s mine: be mindful, be grateful, be kind.” Sian Williams, journalist, broadcaster and writer

“Sara Liyanage’s candid account of dealing with cancer is beautifully and sympathetically written and should prove a useful resource for anybody needing an insight into what it’s like to have a cancer diagnosis, as well as life beyond.” Jackie Buxton, author of Glass Houses and Tea & Chemo

“Sara’s book is brilliant. As a fellow list-lover, it would have helped me when I was diagnosed. Friendly, witty and incredibly useful.” Liz O’Riordan, Breast Surgeon, Ted Speaker and Co-Author of The Complete Guide to Breast Cancer: How to Feel Empowered and Take Control

Sara is a married forty-something mother of two and part-time lawyer in London, Sara managed her life by to-do list after to-do list. However, when breast cancer appeared on her list, Sara’s life as she previously knew it, was thrown upside down. Ticking Off Breast Cancer is a chronological narrative of Sara’s life from the day of her diagnosis and throughout treatment. It follows her as she deals with the physical, emotional and mental challenges thrown at her by cancer and provides an honest insight into the treatment given to a breast cancer patient together with the impact that this has on someone’s life. By sharing many of her to-do lists in the form of checklists at the end of each chapter, Ticking Off Breast Cancer provides thoughtful, helpful advice for every step of the way.

If you have a friend or family member going through primary breast cancer treatment you might find it helpful to know more about what they’re going through physically, emotionally and mentally. It might help with working out how to help them. Plus, Sara has thrown in some practical checklists especially for you – suggestions of how to help a loved one with cancer.

If you’ve been through treatment for primary breast cancer and you’re now just processing the enormity of what you went through – you could read this book and hopefully relate to some of Sara's anecdotes and musings. Maybe you felt the same way or have similar feelings about things like losing your hair, leaving the house, being a cancer patient, telling people, coping with changes to friendships or facing the Fear…

Maybe you’re about to start your treatment for primary breast cancer or you’re already going through it at the moment and you’re looking for a heads-up on what to expect at each step of the way. If that’s you, then you’ll get an honest and very frank account of being diagnosed, having surgery, going through chemo, radiotherapy, being menopausal and then trying to move on after treatment ends. Remember though, that Sara will have had a different diagnosis, treatment and side effects so whilst this is a heads-up of what you might expect, it’s by no means certain that you’ll go through exactly the same.

Maybe you don’t have primary breast cancer, but another type of cancer. I’m fairly certain that you’ll still be able to relate to a lot of what Sara talks about… living in a completely different reality to the rest of the world, the emotional rollercoaster, the anxiety, the loss of control, the realisation of becoming a ‘cancer patient’ and more.

What if you don’t have cancer, you’ve never had cancer and you don’t know anyone with cancer? Should you read it? Why not? Cancer will affect one in two of the population and yet society is often scared to talk about it. I suspect a lot of the fear is fear of the unknown. So why not educate yourself a little and read this account of life during treatment for primary breast cancer. It’s certainly not representative of what everyone goes through during cancer (cancers are different and cancer affects everyone differently) but it’ll give you a little insight to the world of cancer.

Sara lives in Hertfordshire with her husband of fifteen years, their two children and a dog who likes to eat socks. In October 2016, Sara was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of forty-two. Not ever expecting to be diagnosed with breast cancer and having to deal with the impact that cancer can have on an already busy life (one involving a juggling motherhood, working and everything else that a forty-something year old woman has to fit in her life) Sara decided to use her experience to help others who were going through the same thing.​ Towards the end of her treatment, Sara set up her website, www.tickingoffbreastcancer.com, and wrote her first book Ticking Off Breast Cancer. With the book and the website, Sara has created something that will support and encourage others throughout their breast cancer treatment and beyond.​ Sara works part-time in London as an insurance lawyer but now spends a lot of her time working on her website and collaborating with cancer charities by writing and speaking at events.

For more on Sara:

Twitter: @Tickoffcancer

Instagram: @tickingoffbreastcancer

Website: www.tickingoffbreastcancer.com 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/tickingoffcancer