A sequel to 'The Way I See It', 'Talk to the Hand' continues Nicole's account of her very full life, and her tips for overcoming setbacks and crises and makes apparent just why all who are in contact with her find her inspiring, funny and unforgettable.

At eleven Nicole was diagnosed with spinal cancer, and takes her story from age eighteen to the present. The details of her illness are factual and truthful, interspersed with her reaction to her resulting disability, reactions which range from the angry to the inspirational. She never pretends that her experience hasn't been traumatic, that she hasn't resented her lot at times, and the mistakes others have made about her diagnosis. What she has built on, however, is her absolute determination to achieve whatever she can (like abseiling down the side of Kings College Hospital, for charity) and live as 'normal' a life as possible.

Nicole recognises that all teenagers face challenges, and though they may not be life-threatening like hers, her coping strategies can be transferred to any problem. She sings the praises of pampering yourself, drinking tea and writing as ways of relieving stress, and she creates lists of everyday things a young adult would want to do. Along the way she has created her own charity, and is now employed by for the Teenage Cancer Trust.

Nicole's story is supplemented by plenty of other information, a glossary of medical terms she uses, ideas on fund-raising, a guide to the Deafblind Manual Alphabet, and on charities which help people (and animals) overcome their difficulties. The story of an astonishing young woman, this book will help readers put their own challenges in perspective.

http://www.c-h-o-c.org.uk/

2010-03-09