Dear Life: A Doctor's Story of Love, Loss and Consolation

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Julie Chrisley could DIVORCE 'broken and hopeless' husband Todd for convincing her to go along with his 'foolproof' tax fraud ITV presenter reveals his wife, 30, has been diagnosed with rare and incurable brain cancer just months after she gave birth to their first child A major theme is her relationship with her father, who was also a doctor, and how she absorbed his lessons of empathy and dedication. She wrote this book in the wake of his recent death from advanced bowel cancer – an experience that forced her to practice what she had always preached as a hospice doctor: focusing on quality of life rather than number of days, ceasing “desperation oncology” treatment before it degrades dignity, ensuring adequate pain relief, and spending the final days making memories. A late chapter entitled “Wonder,” part of which originally appeared in the New York Times in 2018, is a highlight. She is even a Hollywood plastic surgeon reveals the celebs who he thinks have had wonky surgery secretly corrected

And yet, she argues, in a hospice there is more of what matters in life – more love, more strength, more kindness, more joy, more tenderness, more grace, more compassion – than you could ever imagine. For if there is a difference between people who know they are dying and the rest of us, it is simply this: that the terminally ill know their time is running out, while we live as though we have all the time in the world. This is not the book to read if you’re feeling the least bit anxious. As a reader, you’re reminded of the multiple ways in which you and your loved ones can die, and I’m afraid that I was not in the mood to be contemplating any of them. Some years ago now, I recall hearing Sherwin Nuland interviewed about his famous book How We Die. The great surgeon-writer bluntly remarked that there really were no good deaths: the end is never easy. His statement really resonated for me at the time, as I’d seen how poorly pain had been managed in a family member’s last weeks and days. Clarke’s book provides some reassurance that things have changed for the better in palliative care. Jacqueline Jossa 'strikes groundbreaking deal with EastEnders as she cashes in on major contracts' after reprising her roleThe drama is based on Rachel Clarke’s own experiences as a doctor working on the NHS frontline during the pandemic. Rachel is an author of three Sunday Times bestselling books of which Dear Life was shortlisted for the 2020 Costa Biography Award. Your Life in My Hands documents life as a Junior Doctor working on the frontline. Breathtaking was acclaimed as “a searing insider’s account of being a doctor during the tsunami of coronavirus deaths” (The Independent) and “a beautiful, blistering account of a key moment in our history” (Sunday Times). Who won Great British Bake Off? Matty triumphs as he beats off competition from fellow finalists Dan and Josh to win 2023 series Charli XCX sparks engagement rumours to The 1975 drummer George Daniel after she shares snap of herself wearing a glittering diamond ring Grace Dent's MasterChef co-star Gregg Wallace shuts down popular theory on why she quit I'm A Celeb

Rebel Wilson shares a touching family photo from the set of her new film The Deb: 'Three generations of Wilsons'She wrote: 'For me, there is nothing in this world more life-affirming than working with patients close to life's end whose sense of wonder remains intact. I love my wife. I love my daughter. I love every single thing about this world." The yearning in those words was almost unbearable to hear and yet, as he said them, he was smiling. There is so much misinformation and rewriting of history around what really happened inside our hospitals during the pandemic. The truth is, NHS staff gave everything they had in impossible conditions that sometimes cost them their lives. It is an honour to try and depict the courage and decency of my NHS colleagues on screen, and I’m so grateful to ITV and HTM Television for giving me the chance to show the public the truth.” Another of Rachel's tales describes how a skeletal woman suffering from acute pain is taken from extreme agony to ecstasy after a nurse administers entonox [laughing gas] while singing her favourite disco hits.

There is no other part of the NHS where our ability to keep providing our service depends on whether or not the local jumble sale earned enough money that weekend” she added.She would then be offered 'hugs, cups of tea, shoulders to cry on,' by the many members of staff at the hospice and would return weeks later to show her thanks. What a remarkable book this is; tender, funny, brave, heartfelt, radiant with love and life. It brought me often to laughter and - several times - to tears. It sings with joy and kindness' Robert Macfarlane ITV’s Head of Drama Polly Hill has commissioned Breathtaking, a searing, thought-provoking and poignant account of an NHS doctor in the eye of the storm during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic.