Weekly Round-Up

Welcome, dear readers. I’m so glad you’re here.

This week’s writing feels grounded in renewal, curiosity, creativity, and the slow work of rebuilding life after illness.

Terri reflects on life after reconstruction, reminding us that healing isn’t a neat or linear path.

Gabby builds on that same idea, gently challenging the belief that recovery equals constant productivity.

Martha offers her own long view: 11 years of living with stage 4 breast cancer.

Jennifer writes about how AI has supported her post-cancer life, helping her organise, remember, rebuild confidence, and live with greater ease.

Dee maps the experience of cancer through the metaphor of navigation — how we once travelled with paper maps and guesswork, and how now, like GPS, apps and digital communities help us anticipate the road ahead.

Nancy writes with tenderness about the recent loss of her beloved mother-in-law, Margaret — a woman she describes as an “other mother”, steady and loving in her life for decades.

Connie reflects on the season of Advent drawing parallels between spiritual journeys and her own experiences walking the Camino de Santiago.

In her latest essay, Sue reminds us why creativity belongs in healthcare. Art, she writes, is not an indulgence but a balm, something that softens fear, opens connection, and offers beauty where pain lives too loudly.

And Beth — with her trademark warmth and humility — invites us into the joy of being a beginner. She celebrates curiosity, experimentation, and the freedom to learn without needing mastery.

Finally, a small note of apology — if your blog didn’t appear this week, it’s only because several links wouldn’t open. Please know I looked for you, and I’ll keep trying.

Until next time,

May the week ahead bring softness where you need it,

Much love always

Marie xxx