A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Chemo

"Cancer is not a laughing matter, as I was told by a cross German lady from Dortmund when I showed her this journal. She had herself had breast cancer and is right of course; there are lots of things that are not fun about cancer, most of them unavoidable. I was therefore as surprised as the next person to realise that a huge amount of funny things happen on the way to chemo, or indeed on the way to most places, and that once you get your eye in, you completely forget to be scared..." This is not just an educational book about cancer, although it is certainly safe to give to cancer patients as a cheerful present. More importantly, it sheds new light on: why Kim Kardashian is worth Keeping Up With; what playlists to make for MRI scans; the truth behind the legend of Medea; bikini etiquette on a deserted beach; what to do with a glut of rainbow chard; what an Oscar-winner should say in an acceptance speech; how to deal with cold-callers selling life insurance; and what to wear on a March Against Menopause (layers, obviously)...

“"A gem, a hilarious 100-carat perfect diamond of a gem." Fiammetta Rocco "This made me laugh and feel like I'm not alone; whenever I feel down, I read it again." Sara J”

A gem, a hilarious 100-carat perfect diamond of a gem.
This made me laugh and feel like I'm not alone; whenever I feel down, I read it again.

Ileana von Hirsch is half Greek and half Hungarian, married to a Bavarian, has three children and too many dogs. She has worked as a set designer and mural artist, has been in the travel business for 20 years and is hoping that cancer will give her an excuse to retire. The excellence of her medical care means that this is still a far-off dream. Her feelings about writing a sequel to A funny thing happened on the way to chemo are mixed, as a boring life from now on is probably a good thing.

Many people like to describe cancer as a journey, but cancer, or any illness, is more than a journey, it is an exploration of a new country, a whole continent where the maps are still decorated with fuzzy borders and 'here be dragons' scrawled across great swathes of Terra Incognita. Ileana von Hirsch started writing a journal as a way to entertain herself and a few friends while dealing with breast cancer. But she soon realised that what she was going through was not only lifting herself up, but was making her friends and fellow patients laugh too. This is the no-nonsense down-to-earth book that every cancer patient and relative ought to read - the anti-misery memoir, as Ileana puts it, 'that is safe to send to and be read by cancer patients'. Cancer is not a country that people set out to visit, but if you suddenly find yourself dumped onto its shores, this book gives you a perspective and tips on how to explore your new home - and have a laugh or two on the way.

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