Sam Alexandra Rose

Writer, researcher, music lover, cancer survivor with CMMRD ("double" Lynch syndrome)

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31st December 2020

standing at the back door accommodating
winter in gusts, the clear sharp moon in my throat
and my friends on a screen on my coffee table
but I can’t hear them over the bangs and they
have left their seats already to watch their own
displays. I had run upstairs with Peter and counted
again, at least eight of them, like I did on November 5th.
It’s the first year I didn’t hear a countdown – I always
forget the Hootenanny ignores the coming of the
new year, carries on, and the TV was muted anyway,
but this time, with just the two of us in the house,
at least in flesh, we did not count but we did kiss late
and the bang and crack and light that had been going on
since daylight now overtook the house, everyone’s house
as our web conference brought six of us together in stereo.
Amidst the madness I was grateful for the fireworks blurring
one year into the next because the expectation would have
been too much weight to place on one count, on ten numbers
standing separate and fragile, so instead the community
decided we would have a gradual bringing in of cheer, a blurring
of time, as it had been all year, and watching all the displays from
the back door, the clear sharp moon in my throat made me hopeful,
each blast of light and sound proving that despite everything,
so many of us were standing upright on this earth
and celebrating, still finding some glimmer of joy or hope
and throwing it in the air like a penny in a fountain.

Pre-order My Memoir On Kindle!

My Lynch syndrome memoir Gut Feelings is now available to pre-order on Kindle!

Gut Feelings Lynch Syndrome Memoir Sam Rose

If you like your books in electronic flavour, pre-order now and my guts will be spilled onto your device on the official release date of 7th February 2020!

Here’s the blurb:

“Lynch syndrome is a genetic condition that makes it more likely for a person to get cancer. In other words, it’s the world’s worst loyalty programme.”

Colon cancer, uterine cancer, duodenal cancer. Colostomy bags, infertility, genetic testing. But also, joy. Also adventure. Also grit.

GUT FEELINGS spans ten years from the author’s first diagnosis to the life-changing surgeries for her second and third. Racking up a collection of medical experiences – and losing countless organs along the way – Sam Rose has stories for anyone facing the uncertainty of cancer or Lynch syndrome, to help patients and survivors feel less alone.

Pre-order your copy of Gut Feelings on Kindle now!

What are the Benefits of Having a Creative Hobby?

When it comes to work, we’re all looking for ways to re-engage with our productive sides. It’s been a long year for everyone, whether your work shifted to all remote or you’re still going into an office. Now, this year, more than ever, we all have a lot to balance. However, adding something creative to your plate could really help your work life.

Hobbies are a great way to help you focus and get rid of short-term bursts of stress. They give purpose to downtime in a good way, giving you a sense of accomplishment. And now, even in these isolated times, they can give you a chance to engage with a community, even if that community is online. So how do you do that and what should you try? This graphic offers some insights, and it taught me a couple of new things – including the meaning of “eustress”. As someone who has a day job but also multiple creative passion projects, I found that some of this really resonated with me.

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57% of Cancer Patients Missing Out On Mental Health Support

57% of Cancer Patients Missing Out On Mental Health Support

Despite the huge emotional burden of a cancer diagnosis, many patients and survivors are missing out on vital mental health support when coping with the illness and its aftermath.

According to a 2014 study, 54.1% of cancer survivors need help managing concerns about their cancer coming back. Another study suggested that it’s common for cancer survivors to experience some symptoms of PTSD such as nightmares, avoidance, hypervigilance and negative self-perceptions. Despite this, not all cancer survivors are receiving mental health support to help them deal with a potentially life-threatening diagnosis.

As a three-time cancer survivor engaging with the online cancer community about this topic, I recently Tweeted the question:

 

I was overwhelmed by the number of responses my Tweet received in just a few hours. Experiences varied, from patients not being informed at all of the mental health support available, to being given leaflets or names of resources, being referred for counselling upon request, or being provided counselling without needing to ask. The number of people that fell into the first category was concerning – though for me as a cancer survivor, unsurprising.

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What’s it Like Having a Coronavirus Test?

What's it like to have a coronavirus test

Morning all! I am feeling that kind of chipper I feel when a procedure I wasn’t looking forward to is over and done with, and today that procedure was as short as they come – a coronavirus test. I was apprehensive about getting it and did a little search online beforehand to try to gauge what it was going to be like, so I thought I’d write up my experience here in case it helps someone else who’s also looking and has anxiety about these things like I do.

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A Summary of My PhD Topic: Writing and Wellbeing for Cancer Survivors

Woman studying

Greetings, earthlings. It’s been a while since I blogged and I haven’t really explained much about what I’m doing these days. As you know, I’m working on my PhD, while still working my day-job in marketing. I’d like to tell you a little about what my PhD is all about, without giving too much away or going on and on. There’s so much I could say about it, but I’ll try to keep it straightforward!

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The silence isn’t broken, it’s fractured

I accidentally extended my own lockdown by fracturing my ankle so now moving off the couch to go anywhere is a hassle slightly reminiscent of recovering from cancer surgery. It hurts less than it did a week ago, though.

Hi! It’s been ages, hasn’t it, but at the same time it’s hard to tell because the world is on fire.

I’m going to be on my local radio station on Friday night, around 7.40pm on BBC Northampton, reading part of a lyric essay and talking about writing and my piece, which of course is about my usual subject.

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