‘The Cancer Guide: How to Nurture Wellbeing Through and Beyond a Cancer Diagnosis’ is the most recent publication of Professor Anne-Marie O’Dwyer, a consultant psychiatrist with almost four decades of clinical experience, more than half of which focused on the speciality of psycho-oncology. The book was published in March 2024 by Bedford Square Publishers. Having established the psycho-oncology service in St James’ Hospital, Professor O’Dwyer has dedicated much of her career to helping people with cancer to navigate the psychological battlefield that may present alongside the physical effects of both the disease and its treatment. She writes that inspiration for this book was sparked by her own patients, many of whom would say, “if only I had known” in relation to what lay ahead. Therefore, it is written explicitly for people at any stage of their cancer journey, as well as their friends and families. From my point of view as a clinician, the rising prevalence of cancer globally deems this a most valuable resource in caring for people with this illness. While Professor O’Dwyer has many previous publications to her name, this is her first book “designed for everyone”.

A multitude of myths and misinformation circulate in relation to cancer, many of which Professor O’Dwyer aims to debunk and reframe. The book is divided into six discrete sections, commencing with the cancer diagnosis itself and the preceding “tunnel of tests”, progressing on to cancer treatment, the impact of cancer, life after cancer, the effect of one’s cancer on others before ending on the topic of dying with cancer. While the style is chronological, it is emphasised that each step of the journey will not affect everyone who is diagnosed with cancer. Each person and the course of their illness is profoundly unique, and while it is impossible for a clinician to predict the future, this book provides a comprehensive guide to various eventualities that one may experience during their journey with cancer, providing psychological tools of varying intensities that may help. The overarching theme is the idea that ‘knowledge is power’, provided it is correct, factual and helpful.

In the course of this book, Professor O’Dwyer deals with potentially uncomfortable subjects such as the stigma that often attaches to a cancer diagnosis and the process of death and dying. The author takes such subjects and makes them accessible to the reader in a manner that is highly informative, compassionate and at times, poignant. It is important to mention that, despite its warmth and encouraging tone, this book is not for the faint-hearted. The real stories present cases of individuals that, when described, can mirror many aspects of one’s own self – by way of age, family situation, occupation and so on. Even as someone without a cancer diagnosis, I found several of the described scenarios emotionally challenging. This book’s purpose is clearly not to place a comforting blanket over the difficult realities of the cancer experience.

Despite the many hard-hitting realities that one may be confronted with throughout the course of this book, Professor O’Dwyer guides the reader through them in a factual yet compassionate manner.

Although the book focuses on the psychological perspective of this experience, the author dedicates certain chapters to physical symptoms and to medical and surgical interventions that are likely be involved in treatment. Further emphasis is placed on the familial, social and spiritual aspects of care, which renders the book accessible to a wider audience. When addressing a topic as medically complex as cancer, one could easily succumb to peppering the text with medical jargon. However, Professor O’Dwyer strikes a skilful balance in making the content accessible, clear and concise without condescension. Whilst the content is factual and candid, it is delivered with warmth and humanity, outlining the rollercoaster of emotional turmoil that the cancer journey can entail.

Above all, the use of real (anonymised) patient experiences is what profoundly resonates with the reader and contributes significantly to the impact of this work. With over thirty such anecdotes, each relating to a different topic, the reader is encouraged to connect each moving tale with the subject of the chapter.

In summary, the author’s contention that ‘The Cancer Guide’ is ‘designed for everyone’ is well met. It is not necessary to either have a cancer diagnosis or have a loved one with cancer, nor does it require one to be a medical professional, in order to gain a wealth of knowledge from this book. Indeed the lessons emphasised throughout can also be applied to non-cancer conditions. Despite the difficult, often harrowing processes that people with a cancer diagnosis may endure, Professor O’Dwyer contends that in many cases a fulfilling and enriched life can be achieved despite the former, and that,