"I was first drawn to working in oncology while I was a student nurse at St Thomas' Hospital in London. There I met a woman who had been diagnosed with breast cancer and showed such strength and fortitude in the face of her diagnosis that it left a strong impression on me.

"She said that, despite all the information that had been provided by the professionals and the internet, she would love to be able to dip in and out of a book that had useful advice for newly diagnosed patients, based on the experiences of other patients. The idea for this book was born.

"I decided to...