OUT NOW
“Jacqui’s strength and power throughout her journey is truly inspirational, making it a remarkable read…”
Sometimes we find positive outcomes where we least expect it. I could never have imagined that I would emerge from my experience of having lobular breast cancer in the way I did. I hope that through my book, The Space Between, I can share that with you.
I began writing the book in October 2020, shortly after my breast cancer surgeries. It was a dark time for me as following the initial surgery – a mastectomy of the right breast and reconstruction and a lumpectomy on the left – the pathology results found there was cancer in the lymph nodes on the right side and that there might be a risk that the cancer could be in my skin. As a result, I needed the second operation to remove the implant and the area of skin under concern and a full axilla clearance to remove all the lymphs nodes in my right armpit. Plus, I needed to have chemotherapy, meaning that my treatment was far from over.
Yet somewhere in the darkness I found the courage to start to capture my story as I was living it, beyond the pages of my journal. What a gift this became. During those long, dark winter months of 2020 and into 2021, I was able to channel my emotions, feelings and thoughts into the written word. Often, in the early hours of the morning when sleep had left me, I would sit at my desk and write. Whatever happened beyond that is a blessing as the sheer act of writing was enough.
“Her story is one of deep bravery and courage – a strength of heart – that shows us tangibly what radical acceptance looks like. It is not about giving up, it is about accepting what IS. Right here. In this moment. ”
BRITA FERNANDEZ SCHMIDT, AUTHOR AND TRANSFORMATIONAL COACH
The process to transform those ramblings into a coherent structure of chapters and order and meaning for another to read has brought its own challenges. Not to mention bountiful learning on how to show up and keep taking the small steps in the direction of travel. I am delighted to see it all captured between the covers of a book. One that I can hold, look at, turn the pages of, smell the paper and position proudly on my bookshelf next to all my other books. What a privilege.
Reviews of The Space Between
"A remarkable read"
“I found this book hard to put down, at times it made me cry and also smile as Jacqui recounts her experience of being diagnosed with cancer and her subsequent journey and treatment, compounded by Covid. It is a very honest and insightful account, written from the heart, well-written and easy to read. I really enjoyed the added vignettes and the ongoing references to the train journey. I really valued that it gave me a more in-depth understanding of what others, close to me, will have similarly gone through.
Jacqui’s strength and power throughout her journey is truly inspirational, making it a remarkable read…”
SL on Amazon
"An open and honest account of change and transformation"
“Jacqui has written an amazingly open and account of her cancer journey. This is not only a record of her diagnosis and treatment, but also of self discovery and personal transformation. Although moving and sad in places, over all it is an uplifting account of how she left behind things that were pulling her down and found a way to thrive.”
Liz Ford on Amazon
"Beautifully written..."
“I downloaded this book as I wanted to read something I could put down easily so I wouldn’t be kept up all night reading – unfortunately, this didn’t deliver as I couldn’t put it down!
Although I’m lucky that ‘Cancer Land’ is not somewhere I have visited, I can relate to the feeling of constantly ‘simmering’ and not listening to my body and this book really highlights symptoms of an unhealthy lifestyle that we should not ignore!
This is is a truly emotional read and will leave you in tears and in absolute awe of the author who describes the journey of not only a cancer diagnosis but the effect on her relationships whilst also dealing with much of the treatment alone, due to covid. This lady is truly inspiring and honest and it has definitely made me sit up and take note.”
Online Breathing Space Workshop
AVAILABLE TO BUY NOW
Breathing Space Workshop
Learning to breathe changed so much for me. Simple yet profound. This process goes on unnoticed in the background of our life, yet is absolutely vital to living well and with ease. Even so, we give little thought to it.
In my book – ‘The Space Between: Breast cancer & finding me’ – I share my experience during radiotherapy treatment where all the many months I spent doing breathwork practice each day meant that I was able to cope with a stressful situation with ease and, at times, humour.
As a way of sharing the power of breathwork I developed this online workshop – Breathing Space.
CONVERSATION SERIES
Another joy of writing the book was talking about the amazing people that I have met and worked with along the way. This led me to create the conversation series. I had an astonishing amount of fun talking with these incredible individuals about a whole range of topics that came up for me through my experience both of cancer and in writing a book.
If you would like to hear more, here’s my conversation with the double Olympian Chris Cook. For all my Conversation Series click through to my YouTube channel.
“Whilst experiencing this feeling of relief, a weightlessness came over me. I felt quite happy. I felt like all the worry was gone. There was nothing that needed to be sorted out or dealt with. There was no need for my body to continue to fight with me rather than us working together to get through this. It felt like a second chance. It really felt like I could start again; my expectations changed. This could be an opportunity for me to change my life. I’d held on to so much, too frightened to let go, fearing the uncertainty of what might happen if I did. The uncertainty over my life was now at the forefront of my mind, but not as something I could influence.”
JACQUI TAYLOR – THE SPACE BETWEEN