Emma Heatherington speaks to Her.ie about finding herself after her cancer diagnosis
Emma Heatherington is the author behind some of the most comforting books you’ll ever read. The Maybe Next Christmas writer captures everything we adore about Christmas and creates the most charming stories. She’s undoubtedly one of the best romantic-comedy writers on our little island, with her books brightening the lives of many.
Emma Heatherington has won the hearts of many readers, but her most recent and most personal story is one that has left many of us heartbroken for her.
Earlier this year, Emma was diagnosed with a type of incurable blood cancer after suffering from dizziness and severe headaches. She was then admitted to A&E with a suspected stroke. The diagnosis came as a major shock to her, her family, and her readers, but the author remains hopeful after a recent stem cell transplant.
Speaking to Her.ie, Emma told us that her scans showed multiple lesions on her body including one in her skull bone and chest bone.
“I remember my doctor saying ‘This is potentially nasty, very nasty, or seriously nasty’ and sometimes when they’re looking for one thing, they discover another.”
Emma was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in March just months before her novel Maybe Next Christmas was due to be published.
Speaking about losing her sense of self following her diagnosis, she explained that her books have helped her hold onto the real Emma.
“Writing offered me a reminder of who I am”
She is not just a woman with cancer, but she’s a mum, a partner, a bestselling author and so much more.
Emma went through six months of chemotherapy from the end of March up until September but continued writing her book despite the life-changing diagnosis.
She explained: “It offered me a reminder of who I am because all of a sudden I became the person that has cancer. To be able to step out of that world and back into the world that I was creating was a real reminder of the way life used to be.
“The nurses were bringing books in for me to sign”
“I would get an email from my agent Sarah or my editor Susannah and it would lift me. I could feel my heart lift.”
Not only did her book help her escape from a “horrible” reality, but it also offered joy to fellow patients and even the medical staff in the hospital.
Following her stem cell transplant, Emma had to stay in isolation for four weeks but her books helped her stay connected.
The hospital staff had been chatting amongst themselves and ended up reading Emma’s work.
“If a new nurse came into me she was like ‘You’re the author and I just love the sound of your book. I’m gonna go and get it.’ So the next thing the nurses were bringing books in for me to sign. The book was linking all of us and the nurses were all chatting about it asking each other what chapter they were on and getting me to sign their copies.”
However, it wasn’t just the medical staff who adored Emma’s work. She explained that another patient had also had a stem cell transplant and one of the hospital staff told Emma she was a big reader.
The patients were in isolation but Emma sent her a copy of her book in case she wanted something new to read. The woman’s family then got in touch with the author and told her how much the gesture meant to her.
“Her daughter wrote to me on social media saying thank you so much for brightening up my mum’s day. We can’t see what she’s gone through because we’re not allowed in but your videos are helping us visualise it.”
Emma’s work helped her connect with people she never met
Not only did Emma’s work help her connect with others during the most isolating time in her life, but sharing her cancer journey online has also opened her up to another community.
She said it felt right to share what was going on in her life online and it’s been one of the most uplifting parts of this harrowing time.
The writer explained: “If I could get better through prayer then I’d be dancing on the rooftops at this stage because the support has been so amazing. It’s very easy to get caught up in the darkness of the world but I’ve really seen the goodness in people. The goodness of someone thinking of me in Co. Mayo and they wrap up a few bits and send it to me in hospital.”
Emma’s hopeful and positive attitude is nothing short of inspirational, but she said there are days when you have to surrender and accept that this is horrible and scary. She praised her medical team for being so real with her and for reminding her that life has changed forever, but she will make progress with every passing week.
One thing that is helping Emma keep her head up is knowing she’s close to seeing her book in a bookshop. She has been unable to see Maybe Next Christmas in person because of her stem cell transplant but that momentous moment is just around the corner.
“I’ve no immunity so I can’t go out and mingle yet. I can’t go out and sign in or anything as much as I’d love to. I am very much looking forward to having the strength to go into a supermarket or a bookshop and see it in real life.”
Maybe Next Christmas by Emma Heatherington is available now.
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