A book entitled ‘A Horse, A Husband and Cancer’ written by a patient at Forest Holme Hospice in Poole, Dorset is gaining glowing reviews since its publication last summer. 

The book written by local Wimborne resident Elaine Kirsch Edsall, is a candid, thought-provoking but humorous and often irrelevant account of her life covering 30 years of fighting and surviving cancer until her death aged 65 at Forest Holme in January 2021. 

Described as “not a book about horses, nor a book about husbands and certainly not a book solely about cancer”, Elaine’s remarkable story nevertheless encompasses all three aspects as she tries to make sense of the path her life had taken and where it ultimately was going to lead. 

Elaine, who was encouraged and supported by a friend and husband Mark to publish the book, discovered her love for writing and also began to write a blog, from which this book gets its title, a short time before her death. Mark has continued the blog to this day as he wanted her readers to know of her strength and bravery to the end despite the odds she faced. The first thirteen of these blogs were subsequently included in the book. 

Mark explains, “Elaine was my wife for the last twenty-five years and six days of her life, in all we were together for some thirty years. One year into our (then illicit) relationship she discovered the first cancer; little did we realise then that it was going to be a recurring theme for the rest of her life, neither did we know the extent of the struggle to come or the battlefield our lives were to turn into.”

The book has proved a huge critical success gaining 100% five-star reviews on Amazon, where readers have described it as “a brave, hilarious, touching and authentic piece of writing” and “a captivating memoir”, while a review from America said, “Elaine Kirsh Edsall is a wonderful writer and her husband Mark's eloquent contribution adds a poignant continuation to this beautiful memoir.”

Mark continues, “Her deep-seated and dark sense of humour, her even deeper love for me and for her friends and horses helped her to prevail, against the odds, for so long. She was bruised and battered in mind, spirit and body so many times, yet a two fingered salute was all the ground she would give to the cancer.”

Mark is now hoping that publicity for the book will help and inspire others who are facing their own challenges in life and said, “This isn’t some sort of self-help book for those suffering from cancer nor another set of pages condoning positive thinking and affirmations to overcome despair and fear. Armaments for Elaine’s battle consisted of more than just the medical procedures and treatments she had to endure. She dug deep within to find her allies and always refused any hint of sympathy from others.”

Mark concludes, “So if you have an interest in horses, husbands or cancer there is something here for you to chew over; but if you want to hear of the unrelenting human spirit even knowing the fight is unwinnable, then read on, there is a feast before you.”

Mark’s latest blog is available now along with previous ones via https://horsehusbandcancer.com/blog-feed/

https://horsehusbandcancer.com/