Josie Lloyd author The Cancer Ladies Running Club

The Merry Menopause Bookclub

In the penultimate episode of Series 3 I am joined by Josie Lloyd author of 15 bestselling novels (as both Josie Lloyd and Joanna Rees), including the number one hit Come Together, which she co-authored with her husband Emlyn Rees, and the bestselling parody We're Going On A Bar Hunt.

But this episode is dedicated to her latest book The Cancer Ladies Running Club. A fictional tale, based on Josie’s own experience of surviving Breast Cancer.

1 in 7 women are going to get Breast Cancer and 1 in 2 of us will develop Cancer in our lifetimes, and in Josie’s own words ‘Cancer needs debunking and we need to talk about it more"

In this episode, Josie talks openly about

• Receiving her diagnosis and coming face to face with her mortality.

• How journalling helped her to feel physically better. The cathartic process of getting all the unpleasant thoughts out of her head and onto paper.

• Why keeping fit is so important during cancer treatment and how she came to meet the real-life Cancer Ladies Running Club.

• The two types of breast cancer. Ductal, the most common and easiest to detect, and Lobular which doesn’t show up on mammograms and counts for 15% of all breast cancer cases.

• How it took her cancer diagnosis to recognise the importance of self-care.

• Josie's mental commitment to being well. Letting go of fear takes constant work.

• Finding her tribe. The Cancer Ladies Running Club is also a book about female friendships and women supporting women.

• Being thrown into early Menopause. Unable to take HRT she grew to accept and make peace with her symptoms and how she managed her hot flushes with the Menopoised magnate and sea swimming - which became her salvation.

Josie’s Book Choice

Caitlin Moran - More Than A Woman - I totally agree with Josie, this is a great read!

Find out how you can work with me, my coaching and education, and get your free Menopause Symptom tracker at www.themerrymenopause.com

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