You never think it will be you. You go about your days making plans, imagining futures, dreaming ordinary dreams. Life feels steady, predictable. And then it isn’t. One phone call. One scan. One… Continue reading
In 1948, two French scientists noticed something unexpected in their lab samples: fragments of DNA drifting in blood plasma. At the time, the discovery seemed trivial, even puzzling. DNA, after all, was supposed… Continue reading
You’ve likely heard people talk about “chemo brain”—or maybe you’ve even felt it yourself. It’s that foggy sensation that can make it tough to find the right word, recall a friend’s name, or… Continue reading
So few grains of happiness measured against all the dark and still the scales balance. – Jane Hirshfield “The Weighing” I’ve been reflecting on these lines from Jane Hirshfield’s poem The Weighing and how its… Continue reading
In many cultures, greetings are often seen as polite and routine exchanges. However, in some Muslim cultures, there exists a profound dimension to these everyday interactions. When someone asks, “How are you?” in… Continue reading
I discovered that today, September 16th is ‘Tattoo Story Day’. While I am not sure if this is a day that’s universally marked, it gives me the prompt I need to tell the… Continue reading
Checking my August Awareness Day Calendar, I discovered that today, August 30th is designated as Grief Awareness Day. Sometimes I feel we are awash with grief in our community. Not just in our… Continue reading
Are you looking for a new job after cancer treatment? Perhaps you left your last employment after your diagnosis, or maybe you are still in your current job but want a fresh start… Continue reading
“In a society which is much more inclined to help you hide your pain rather than to grow through it, is necessary to make a very conscious effort to mourn.” – Henri Nouwen Grief… Continue reading
T for this week’s round-up of the best of the blog posts which I’ve read over the past week. These are the posts that have moved me, taught me something, inspired me, and which I’ve wanted to share with you. Don’t forget if you have written a post which you would like readers to see, just […]
The Thing Is to love life, to love it evenwhen you have no stomach for itand everything you’ve held dearcrumbles like burnt paper in your hands,your throat filled with the silt of it.When… Continue reading
The Butterfly Effect For Marie Ennis O’Connor So close and still Quietly far away From the company Who chose you The day you heard The word we all Heard. Echoes In a canyon… Continue reading
26 posts. 26 days. 26 letters of the alphabet, one blog post beginning with each letter. H is for Hair I started this blog a few years after my breast cancer diagnosis and… Continue reading
I was reading in last weekend’s newspapers of composer Andrew Lloyd Webber’s reflections on his recent brush with cancer. In October last year, Sir Andrew was diagnosed with prostate cancer, and admits that the… Continue reading
Thanks to Steph at Biopsy Report for alerting me to a new Irish website, Feelgood Scarves. The idea for this came from the personal experience of its founder Catherine O’Sullivan, who lost her… Continue reading
Elaine Rogers is a personal and business coach and trainer, based in Co Cork, and I was interested in her sharing some of her wisdom here with us on JBBC. I don’t think Elaine will… Continue reading
Shrove or Pancake Tuesday* takes place tomorrow; so whizz up some batter today, leave it overnight in the fridge and you will be all set in the morning to make delicious pancakes for breakfast. Pancakes are… Continue reading
“In the final analysis, love is the only reflection of man’s worth.” ~ Bill Wundram, Iowa Quad Cities Times What is love? It is one of the most difficult questions to answer or define,… Continue reading
“Gentlemen, why don’t you laugh? With the fearful strain that is upon me night and day, if I did not laugh, I should die.” ~ Abraham Lincoln Recently Andy left a comment on the… Continue reading
I just had to post a love poem this week-end in honor of Valentine’s Day. So today’s poetry choice is a classic love poem from the celebrated Scottish poet and lyricist, Robbie Burns.… Continue reading
Many of you will have seen Irish radio presenters, Ian Dempsey and Ray Darcy smiling down at you from billboards across the country with half-shaved heads. It is all part of Today FM’s Shave or Dye fundraising campaign… Continue reading
I often write here of my love of poetry and its great power to capture what you are feeling in perhaps a single sentence. Alongside poetry, I am also in awe of the… Continue reading
Throw your dream into space like a kite, and you do not know what it will bring back, a new life, a new friend, a new love, or a new country ~ Anais… Continue reading
