Orchard, Anne. Their Cancer – Your Journey.

When someone you care about is diagnosed with cancer, it forces you into an emotional journey too. How will you find your way? This book will be your guide. If you don’t have this book already, order it now, or buy extra copies to share with family and friends.

Click here to order this book as either a paperback or an ebook.

Chopra, Deepak. The Book Of Secrets.

“Every life is a book of secrets ready to be opened …”. This is a book for people on a path of spiritual discovery. It deals with the very nature of existence, and teaches you to be aware of yourself as the observer. Get closer to the meaning of life by reading this book.

Cooke, Helen (Rev.) The Bristol Approach To Living With Cancer.

Anybody who feels that the right approach to treating cancer must be more than being passive and having treatments in hospital will be in tune with this book. It describes the holistic approach taken at Penny Brohn Cancer Care (formerly the Bristol Cancer Help Centre), and how people with cancer can take a more active approach to their illness. It also includes a chapter about how supporters are also affected, and how they can handle this.

Wishart, Adam. One In Three: a son’s journey into the science and history of cancer.

When a loved one is diagnosed with cancer, you may have a great thirst for more information. What is cancer? How did it come to be so common in our world? What are the treatments and how were they developed? All these questions are explored in this book, along with the story of the author’s experience of this father’s cancer. Well worth reading if you want to know more about the science and history of cancer.

Frankl, Viktor. Man’s Search For Meaning

This is not an easy book to read, for it tells the author’s story of his time in concentration camps during World War II. I found it really touched me and gave me a deeper insight into suffering. In spite of all he endured, Viktor Frankl kept his optimism about the human spirit. His own theories of Logotherapy are also described in the book. These give insights into how to discover meaning in life regardless of the circumstances.

Hall, Alvin. You and Your Money

Alvin Hall has written many excellent books about ways to deal with the financial side of life – I started with Money For Life, which gave some really good insights. This book is more up to date, and also tackles the reasons why we don’t do the things we know we should to handle our money. If you have any issues with your finances, this is a good place to start.

Hutton, Deborah. What Can I Do To Help?: 75 Practical Ideas For Family And Friends From Cancer’s Frontline

‘What can I do to help?’ is one of the first questions we want answered when someone we care about it ill. You can get answers, and lots of personal stories, from reading this book. I loved the light-hearted tone and straight talking from this book, and found I was fascinated by the details of how other people coped in this situation.

McKay, Judith and Hirano, Nancee. The Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy Survival Guide

Thank goodness for this book! When my mother-in-law was receiving treatment, there was no logical reason why I needed to know all the details. But I wanted to know! Reading and understanding the possible effects made me more confident in talking to her about the treatment. I even had the idea I might be able to weigh in with helpful suggestions at some stage, if they were needed.

Chopra, Deepak. Quantum Healing

Combining Eastern insight with his medical training, Deepak Chopra weaves the mystical and the scientific together to make sense of how mind, body and spirit are linked. This book will give you an understanding of how your loved one’s thoughts and feelings affect the progress of their illness. It may also help you if they are not able to heal.

Bach, Richard. Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah

I love this book and its’ irreverent approach to what it is to be a Messiah. The story is accompanied by quotes from the ‘book within a book’ The Messiah’s Handbook. Many of the quotes have changed not only my life, but also those of friends and family I shared them with. If you like your personal development sprinkled with humour, you’ll love this book.

Dwoskin, Hale. The Sedona Method

This book is a wonderful introduction to The Sedona Method. Working through this book is like taking an advanced course on the Inner Journey. I use The Sedona Method to deal with any emotions from minor irritation through to deep difficulties and challenges from the past or the present.

Katie, Byron. Loving What Is

Like the Sedona Method, Byron’s Katie’s method The Works involves using questions to dissolve resistance to situations and emotions. This releases you to act or not as you choose, but from a place of clarity.

Sher, Barbara and Gottlieb Annie. Wishcraft: How To Get What You Really Want

What can I say – this book is brilliant! If you want to achieve your dreams (even if you don’t know what they are yet) then get this book. Don’t just get it, but follow the simple process like I did. I used this resource to produce my book ‘Their Cancer – Your Journey’ and to start Families Facing Cancer. What will you achieve?

Macbeth, Jessica Williams. Moon Over Water: The Path Of Meditation

If you would like to try meditation, but don’t know where to start, then this book is for you. It describes different meditation techniques and the benefits to be gained from regular meditation. A great resource.

Marriott, Hugh. The Selfish Pig’s Guide To Caring

If you are a full-time or part-time carer for your loved one, here you will find both insights and humour. You will find out that you are not alone, and that you’re not doing so badly. Full of fabulous practical advice and sharing the realities of caring as only another carer could do.

Wilson, Paul. Calm For Life

This book, and Paul Wilson’s later book ‘The Quiet’ both show ways to introduce calm into your life amongst any circumstances. You can learn to relax and reduce the impact of life’s many stresses on your health and emotions.

Ilibagiza, Immaculee. Left To Tell

This is the story of how Immaculée came to survive the Rwandan holocaust in which her family were all killed. Her religious beliefs survived in spite of the atrocity, or perhaps because of it, and she was able to come to a place of forgiveness.

Jenkinson, Audrey. Past Caring

How do people rebuild a life of their own after years of caring for a loved one? This is the book for you if your time of caring is at, or nearing, its’ end. It will help you manage this transition into the next phase of your life, and understand that you are not the only one. Audrey’s stories of her time as a carer may also seem comfortingly familiar.

Coelho, Paulo. The Alchemist

This is a novel, a fable about what it is to follow your dream. The story is simple and timeless, and told in a way that had me reading it in every spare moment until I finished.

Covey, Stephen. The 8th Habit

This book builds on the author’s previous work ‘The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People’. This time the aim is to go from effectiveness to greatness. The book covers first of all finding your own voice, then inspiring others to find theirs. A great book for anyone who is prepared to step into leadership.

Holden, Robert. Happiness Now!: Timeless Wisdom For Feeling Good Fast

Are you looking for happiness outside yourself, or believe you can’t have it because of your current circumstances? In this book Robert Holden busts the myth that our happiness is dependent on outside factors, and shows us ways to find it within ourselves. A great read.

Cutler, Howard and His Holiness The Dalai Lama. The Art of Happiness: A Handbook For Living

In this book Howard Cutler interviews His Holiness The Dalai Lama on such topics as ‘What is happiness’. Through the questioning and the author’s explanations and examples, you can gain an insight into spiritual principles, and how simple life can really be!

Dwoskin, Hale and Levenson, Lester. Happiness Is Free, and It’s Easier Than You Think

This is an alternative way to learn The Sedona Method, and apply it to discover true happiness. In this book the material is presented as a seven-week course – completing it will change the way you look at your current situation, and the world.

Vitale, Joe. The Attractor Factor

Joe Vitale’s book talks about attracting wealth, but it can be used to attract anything you want into your life. It also teaches about Turing It Into Something Good. If you want to use the power of attraction in your life, get this book. I had the idea to write ‘Their Cancer – Your Journey’ shortly after reading this. A coincidence? I don’t think so!

Stewart, Tricia. Calendar Girl

If you want to know more about the amazing story of the Yorkshire Calendar Girls, then get this book. With more depth and detail than the film, it also covers the effect producing the calendar had on all the lives it touched.