About the Book

A tender invitation to grow through what you never asked for.

When I was seventeen, I was diagnosed with leukaemia. One day I was at a wedding, laughing with friends and by nightfall, I was in a hospital room hearing words I couldn’t make sense of. That moment marked the start of a season I never saw coming. But this book isn’t just about illness. It’s about everything that followed: the grief, the silence, the questions, and the slow, aching work of becoming someone new.

The Garden I Became is a deeply personal story of falling apart, and growing again. It’s made up of journal entries, poetic reflections, and gentle invitations to pause, feel, and heal. Each chapter is shaped around a stage of the garden: from scorched earth, to clearing, to blooming and beyond. I wrote it in the hope that it would be a companion to anyone walking through their own wilderness.

Inside the Pages, You’ll Find:

• 12 chapters that follow the rhythms of growth: The Scorching, The Roots, The Rain, The Wild, and more.

• Raw pieces pulled straight from the pages of my journals through the 2.5 year chemo journey.

• Honest reflections on identity, faith, trauma, and resilience.

• Tools and prompts to help you reconnect with yourself, gently and without pressure.

I Wrote This For You If:

• You’ve ever grieved the life you thought you’d have.

• You’re navigating change, loss, or healing that doesn’t fit into a neat timeline.

• You want a soft place to land. Not answers, just a reminder that you’re not alone.

This isn’t a guidebook. It’s a story, a garden of words grown slowly from pain, hope, and everything in between. If you’re standing in the middle of something hard, I hope you find comfort here. And maybe, even the beginnings of something new.