10 Years This Summer: Still Getting To Chase Life

This is my first trip of this size in a long time: 3 years to be exact. I was so nervous. Things felt almost new. So many things had changed, and yet there were some constants. I had to get to see all of my special USA friends (or at least a good chunk of

A long view of time can replenish our sense of ourselves and the world.

A long view of time can replenish our sense of ourselves and the world. I’ve been thinking about it for weeks. Every so often when campers know I’ve been pretty poorly over the past few years, they ask me how everything is. I reply with that it’s the most “normal” I’ve felt in 3-4 years.

learning to lean in

Words are  often a poor substitute for imagery. One of my Doctors: “So Sarah, why do you want to work in healthcare – even though you’re an artist?” I spoke about my own experiences & the opportunity artistic practice can offer to enhance care and services – the ability to use a different perspective to

The things I’ve learned from a broken mirror

Saving a life doesn’t change the world, but for that person, the world changes forever. I’m right at the bittersweet end of my 3 years of  BSc Hons radiation-oncology school training. Assuming I pass the last few things, in 3 weeks I’ll be technically allowed, once my HCPC registration and license and indemnity insurance comes through,

Tomorrow belongs to those who can hear it coming

I recently received some incredible, completely surprising and insane(-ly good) news.  As previously written on a few blog posts, I had applied for a PhD – not ever thinking I’d even get shortlisted, but I was happy with the learning process itself. Pushing myself forward, keeping my options open. Before I fell poorly, and my

Getting sick was (is) the worst thing that ever happened to me, but

Last week Facebook memories reminded me that the exact week in 2012, I wrote on my Facebook status that I was finally seeing a NHS haemotologist oncologist after my crazy USA medical adventure. I have certain dates etched into my collective memory, which feel like I’ll never be able to erase , even if I

A World of Difference

Everything begins somewhere.   Very light muscle weakness, a constant-never-ending headache that refuses to disappear,  left facial numbness, drenching nightsweats, bone pain, constant appearances of shingles, heavy, regular nose-bleeds, a fatigue which drags you down & always wins. I tried to accept these changes as subjects of fascination — idiosyncrasies particular to my body. But nothing can

What endures, what lingers, and what gets washed away?

It’s  nearly been a whole year since the last Thanksgiving, already. I know, Thanksgiving as a Brit living England is technically not my holiday. However, I wish we had something similar in the UK. Like, I dunno, a Kindness-Day – a national holiday where everyone gets the day off & it’s a reason to take

You Make The World A Better Place

A Thank-you card/poster Print

Happy (early-UK) Thanksgiving, Friends this is for you.

As my American friends will know, we’re celebrating Thanksgiving a week early here in the UK. But never the less. HAPPY UK THANKSGIVING FRIENDS. Today I am grateful (& everyday, of course). My thoughts on suffering, empathy, and community responsibility have been completely re-shaped and shifted over the course of the journey of illness. New