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Patient 71
An inspiring true story of resilience, tenacity and a promise that fuelled one woman's fight for life.
Four days after her fiftieth birthday celebrations, Julie Randall suffered a very sudden and severe seizure at work. Out of the blue she went from fit, healthy, fun-loving wife and mother of two, to not knowing what had happened. Or why.
Rushed to hospital by ambulance, it was discovered Julie had a malignant brain tumour. Diagnosed with Stage 4 Metastatic Advanced Melanoma, she was told to get her affairs in order because she didn't have long to live.
After getting over the initial shock, Julie fought off the fear and started searching for hope. She found an American experimental drug trial, but was told there was only room for 70 patients and the numbers were full. Julie had promised her teenage daughters that she would find a way to 'fix it' so she refused to take no for an answer. Her tenacity paid off and she flew to Oregon and the Providence Cancer Center. She became PATIENT 71.
Not everyone survives a cancer diagnosis. Julie is one of the lucky ones. She discovered that when you push the boundaries, refuse to give up and never lose sight of your goal... extraordinary things can happen.
Four days after her fiftieth birthday celebrations, Julie Randall suffered a very sudden and severe seizure at work. Out of the blue she went from fit, healthy, fun-loving wife and mother of two, to not knowing what had happened. Or why.
Rushed to hospital by ambulance, it was discovered Julie had a malignant brain tumour. Diagnosed with Stage 4 Metastatic Advanced Melanoma, she was told to get her affairs in order because she didn't have long to live.
After getting over the initial shock, Julie fought off the fear and started searching for hope. She found an American experimental drug trial, but was told there was only room for 70 patients and the numbers were full. Julie had promised her teenage daughters that she would find a way to 'fix it' so she refused to take no for an answer. Her tenacity paid off and she flew to Oregon and the Providence Cancer Center. She became PATIENT 71.
Not everyone survives a cancer diagnosis. Julie is one of the lucky ones. She discovered that when you push the boundaries, refuse to give up and never lose sight of your goal... extraordinary things can happen.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 27, 2017
15 people are currently reading
114 people want to read
About the author
Julie Randall
3 books7 followersJulie Randall is the author of the compelling memoir PATIENT 71, which details her life-changing health crisis and desperate battle to survive. Julie lives and works in Sydney.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
February 10, 2018
Awesome writing. The author grabs hold of you at the beginning and takes you with her on her emotional rollercoaster ride to recovery. By the time I got to the last chapter I was crying almost as often as she was. Just amazing; a really uplifting book.
June 27, 2017
There is no doubt that health and emergency services workers see and hear much pain and suffering, but few would ever see the whole picture. This book provides the missing warmth, colour, and life, bringing this insidious, indiscriminate illness into a human focus.
It's an easy read that wastes no time getting to the point: the day Julie Randall; fit, happy, and well; has a seizure. From a brain bleed. From cancer.
Nor does it bog down in medical descriptions or self-pity. Perhaps that's due in part to Randall's illness: an increased perception of time and priorities makes for a tightly focused book.
I loved the 'monsters' in Randall's head. At first I thought they were the voices that most people have - a voice of reason, a voice of panic, a voice of denial - but after a while I wondered if they weren't changes in personality caused by the pressure of her tumours.
All this lends to a compelling story, difficult to put down. Until the flight to America. Flights are flights, and this one, not remarkable enough for 15 pages, was placed right at the critical point, where reaction was changing to action (even Randall admits to becoming jaded shortly after).
Occasionally, Randall plays the victim card (although I can't say I blame her, and how would I know how I'd react?), and even though money is an issue, there are less fortunate people out there who would think Randall is super rich - she could afford an international phone call to ask for directions to a restaurant, a two-and-a-half-month stay at the Marriott, and an America-to-Australia flight for mother's day, all during expensive treatment - but none of this changes her story or the reality of what I can't begin to imagine she's going through.
Randall still sees herself as lucky despite everything, and this is raw and intrinsic throughout. It wouldn't have been an easy job for her editors, either. Imagine having to ask 'is this really true?' when Randall says she played touch football in the middle of her cancer treatment!
And as for Brian the Brain Surgeon and Biology Bill - two of my favourite characters! The world could do with more Biology Bills, with his wholistic view on the human body. It's a much more productive view than the divisive modern medicine -vs- ancient healing plants argument.
This is an emotional and private journey. One that I'm grateful to Randall for sharing with the world. I wish her and every other health-challenged person my absolute best wishes.
I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest review
It's an easy read that wastes no time getting to the point: the day Julie Randall; fit, happy, and well; has a seizure. From a brain bleed. From cancer.
Nor does it bog down in medical descriptions or self-pity. Perhaps that's due in part to Randall's illness: an increased perception of time and priorities makes for a tightly focused book.
I did feel like a lab rat at the end of it, but that's what I signed up for. This was research. It wasn't all about me. I was just a number...Patient 71.
I loved the 'monsters' in Randall's head. At first I thought they were the voices that most people have - a voice of reason, a voice of panic, a voice of denial - but after a while I wondered if they weren't changes in personality caused by the pressure of her tumours.
All this lends to a compelling story, difficult to put down. Until the flight to America. Flights are flights, and this one, not remarkable enough for 15 pages, was placed right at the critical point, where reaction was changing to action (even Randall admits to becoming jaded shortly after).
Occasionally, Randall plays the victim card (although I can't say I blame her, and how would I know how I'd react?), and even though money is an issue, there are less fortunate people out there who would think Randall is super rich - she could afford an international phone call to ask for directions to a restaurant, a two-and-a-half-month stay at the Marriott, and an America-to-Australia flight for mother's day, all during expensive treatment - but none of this changes her story or the reality of what I can't begin to imagine she's going through.
Randall still sees herself as lucky despite everything, and this is raw and intrinsic throughout. It wouldn't have been an easy job for her editors, either. Imagine having to ask 'is this really true?' when Randall says she played touch football in the middle of her cancer treatment!
And as for Brian the Brain Surgeon and Biology Bill - two of my favourite characters! The world could do with more Biology Bills, with his wholistic view on the human body. It's a much more productive view than the divisive modern medicine -vs- ancient healing plants argument.
This is an emotional and private journey. One that I'm grateful to Randall for sharing with the world. I wish her and every other health-challenged person my absolute best wishes.
I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest review
June 10, 2025
Julie Randall’s Patient 71 is a raw, unflinching memoir about her sudden and devastating diagnosis with stage four metastatic melanoma at the age of 50—and her extraordinary fight to live. What begins as a lively snapshot of a joyful, ordinary life quickly turns into a harrowing, heart-stopping journey through hospitals, fear, surgeries, clinical trials, and the depths of human resilience. The title refers to her status in a U.S.-based immunotherapy drug trial that became her lifeline when all other options had faded. Randall takes us from the sparkling shores of Sydney to the clinical halls of American medical centers, showing not just the physical battle but the emotional and spiritual turmoil that comes with facing death.
What struck me first about Julie's writing was its honesty. There’s no sugarcoating, no stiff upper lip for the reader’s comfort. She tells her story like she’s talking to a close friend—funny, vulnerable, often foul-mouthed, and always painfully relatable. I found myself laughing at her jabs and swearing, only to be crying just pages later as she grappled with leaving her daughters behind. The style is conversational, even cheeky at times, but that’s what makes it hit so hard. Every ache, every glimmer of hope, every heartbreak, you feel it.
What’s more powerful than the writing, though, is the will to live that pulses through every page. Randall’s fierce love for her family—especially her daughters—drives everything. Even when she’s terrified, even when the prognosis is grim, she never stops trying. There’s something deeply inspiring in her refusal to go quietly. I admired how she didn’t turn herself into a saint or pretend to be brave all the time. She was scared. She was angry. She hated the term “palliative care.” And still, she fought like hell. That’s what makes her story so deeply moving.
This book is for anyone who needs hope, even the faintest glimmer of it. It's for people who have felt helpless or terrified, and for those standing beside them. If you’ve ever asked, “Why me?” and still got out of bed the next day, Patient 71 will resonate. It’s not always easy to read, but it’s impossible to forget. Randall reminds us that life is brutal, beautiful, and worth fighting for.
What struck me first about Julie's writing was its honesty. There’s no sugarcoating, no stiff upper lip for the reader’s comfort. She tells her story like she’s talking to a close friend—funny, vulnerable, often foul-mouthed, and always painfully relatable. I found myself laughing at her jabs and swearing, only to be crying just pages later as she grappled with leaving her daughters behind. The style is conversational, even cheeky at times, but that’s what makes it hit so hard. Every ache, every glimmer of hope, every heartbreak, you feel it.
What’s more powerful than the writing, though, is the will to live that pulses through every page. Randall’s fierce love for her family—especially her daughters—drives everything. Even when she’s terrified, even when the prognosis is grim, she never stops trying. There’s something deeply inspiring in her refusal to go quietly. I admired how she didn’t turn herself into a saint or pretend to be brave all the time. She was scared. She was angry. She hated the term “palliative care.” And still, she fought like hell. That’s what makes her story so deeply moving.
This book is for anyone who needs hope, even the faintest glimmer of it. It's for people who have felt helpless or terrified, and for those standing beside them. If you’ve ever asked, “Why me?” and still got out of bed the next day, Patient 71 will resonate. It’s not always easy to read, but it’s impossible to forget. Randall reminds us that life is brutal, beautiful, and worth fighting for.
August 14, 2017
Patient 71 is the intensely personal retelling of the hours, weeks, months and years of Julie's life from the moment she was told she had terminal cancer.
Duffy's Review Of Patient 71
By the time I was 20 pages in I felt I knew Julie and her family life. The deep wave of emotion which ran over me when the news of Julie's terminal cancer was delivered was unexpected and certainly triggered painful memories of losing my beloved grandparents, so be prepared for these moments.
Patient 71 highlights the resolve and spirit of an average Australian family. How the humdrum of an average day that can change in the blink of an eye; where families quickly adjust from talking at breakfast about Australian Idol and where to go on holiday, to who will drive a loved one to a scan and where the money for chemo treatment will come from.
Julie Randall is headstrong, smart and came across as having boundless love for her husband and daughters. She can also be a little sarcastic and cranky too, but hey, if I was told my seemingly healthy happy body was riddled with death inducing tumours, I might be forgiven for being a little emotional, snappy and erratic!
Who Should Read Patient 71
Anyone looking for hope, inspiration, and a solid Australian human interest story without too much sentimentality. Patient 71 isn't all heartbreak and chemo; there are some laughs too. It's all facets of one life and a story, which is unfortunately too common and incredibly unfair. Hundreds are diagnosed with cancer every day in Australia, and Patient 71 just happens to be one person's decision to say 'not just yet'.
5stars - A must read.
Read if you liked Love Your Sister and Because We Are Bad
Duffy's Review Of Patient 71
By the time I was 20 pages in I felt I knew Julie and her family life. The deep wave of emotion which ran over me when the news of Julie's terminal cancer was delivered was unexpected and certainly triggered painful memories of losing my beloved grandparents, so be prepared for these moments.
Patient 71 highlights the resolve and spirit of an average Australian family. How the humdrum of an average day that can change in the blink of an eye; where families quickly adjust from talking at breakfast about Australian Idol and where to go on holiday, to who will drive a loved one to a scan and where the money for chemo treatment will come from.
Julie Randall is headstrong, smart and came across as having boundless love for her husband and daughters. She can also be a little sarcastic and cranky too, but hey, if I was told my seemingly healthy happy body was riddled with death inducing tumours, I might be forgiven for being a little emotional, snappy and erratic!
Who Should Read Patient 71
Anyone looking for hope, inspiration, and a solid Australian human interest story without too much sentimentality. Patient 71 isn't all heartbreak and chemo; there are some laughs too. It's all facets of one life and a story, which is unfortunately too common and incredibly unfair. Hundreds are diagnosed with cancer every day in Australia, and Patient 71 just happens to be one person's decision to say 'not just yet'.
5stars - A must read.
Read if you liked Love Your Sister and Because We Are Bad
May 2, 2019
For someone with the life changing diagnosis of terminal metastatic melanoma, to write and articulate all the associated emotions with such an event, is very impressive. An important story, worth telling, and still with an uncertain end that could change in a heartbeat. Without wishing to hose any of it down, some tighter editorial guidance might have been helpful with the self repeating mantra becoming a bit on the over-done side. Other family aspects of the book also become a bit repetitive, however it is still an engaging, worthwhile and illuminating read, especially from a first time author with a terminal illness.
November 12, 2017
Heartbreakingly raw, inspiring and uplifting
A true testament to the power of love and grit, I hope Julie and her family continue to heal and she gets to enjoy the next 30+ years she desires and grandchildren x
A true testament to the power of love and grit, I hope Julie and her family continue to heal and she gets to enjoy the next 30+ years she desires and grandchildren x
July 11, 2020
Amazing Story
This book should be read by all melanoma patients. Julie’s journey was amazing. Her thoughts and insights were amazing. If you or someone you know is dealing with melanoma, I highly recommend this book.
This book should be read by all melanoma patients. Julie’s journey was amazing. Her thoughts and insights were amazing. If you or someone you know is dealing with melanoma, I highly recommend this book.
December 14, 2023
Sadly Hachette uses the same ghost writer for their memoirs so they all sound exactly the same!! And that’s not in a good way! Really poor writing with a really poor voice. Dumbed down and just awful.
March 20, 2018
One of those books I found hard to put down.
June 27, 2018
Great book. Very emotional.
February 8, 2021
This was an easy read and an encouragement to make waves in the face of need. Its also packed full of miracles, but it feels shallow and self absorbed which is a shame.
June 4, 2022
This is a book full of encouragement, determination, positivity & hope from an extraordinary Australian woman. It spoke loudly to me, as I’m living with cancer. I highly recommend it.
January 30, 2024
Nice and easy to read book, very light and humorous writing that makes you feel like you're reading Julie's diary.
October 6, 2024
A story of resilience
4.3/5 ⭐️
4.3/5 ⭐️
February 28, 2019
Easy read. Amazing story and made me cry. Highly recommend! 👍🏻
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 30, 2017
This review has been crossposted from my blog at The Cosy Dragon . Please head there for more in-depth reviews by me, which appear on a timely schedule.
Julie Randall went from being a partying 50 year old to having major surgery to remove a tumour from her brain in less than a month. Following that, Julie had to fight to get the treatment she needed in order to survive and be with her kids – whether she’s in Australia or not.
So it’s a reasonable enough memoir but not exactly what I was hoping for. As long-time readers will know, I’m a scientist by training and so I was hoping for more juicy details about everything – the science behind the new treatment, the ‘magic pill’ that might have cured everything, what’s it’s really like to be a scientific guinea pig. Instead, I got a bit of a repetitive heartthrob tale that I didn’t really feel any inclination to keep reading. Instead I would have thought that “breakfast, school run, chemo” is actually a more relatable story even if that one doesn’t actually have a happy ending so to speak. Cancer is hard.
I appreciate that the author is a real person, with real problems, and I would hate to read a negative review of a novel I had probably put a lot of time into crafting. But honestly, some of the fault must also lie with the publishers. This book could have benefited from some significant editorial guidance. There’s a lot of inconsistent tenses and it would have been really useful to define who is alive/dead earlier in the novel. Additionally, I know the author actually wrote letters to her dead mother while undergoing treatment, but I actually found the letters quite distracting and not actually very useful.
The author makes it sound like this wonder drug is a complete cure but at any time, as far as I can see, the cancer could return. She seems to say that she has monthly treatments on a maintenance dosage. I really hope she’s making the most of life that she has left, because knowing about drugs and cancer, they always have the capacity to surprise you.
I’d also like to complain about the repetitiveness of Julie’s little chant about ‘My body is healthy, my organs are healthy’. I’m all for mindfulness and appreciating what you have, and supporting your body mentally, but arg! it just was very irritating for me. There is some useful things to take from this because it promotes still having a healthy lifestyle and remaining active as much you, but also really pushing for the help that you need.
Thankfully no need to provide stars for this one. Look elsewhere for an Australian cancer memoir.
Julie Randall went from being a partying 50 year old to having major surgery to remove a tumour from her brain in less than a month. Following that, Julie had to fight to get the treatment she needed in order to survive and be with her kids – whether she’s in Australia or not.
So it’s a reasonable enough memoir but not exactly what I was hoping for. As long-time readers will know, I’m a scientist by training and so I was hoping for more juicy details about everything – the science behind the new treatment, the ‘magic pill’ that might have cured everything, what’s it’s really like to be a scientific guinea pig. Instead, I got a bit of a repetitive heartthrob tale that I didn’t really feel any inclination to keep reading. Instead I would have thought that “breakfast, school run, chemo” is actually a more relatable story even if that one doesn’t actually have a happy ending so to speak. Cancer is hard.
I appreciate that the author is a real person, with real problems, and I would hate to read a negative review of a novel I had probably put a lot of time into crafting. But honestly, some of the fault must also lie with the publishers. This book could have benefited from some significant editorial guidance. There’s a lot of inconsistent tenses and it would have been really useful to define who is alive/dead earlier in the novel. Additionally, I know the author actually wrote letters to her dead mother while undergoing treatment, but I actually found the letters quite distracting and not actually very useful.
The author makes it sound like this wonder drug is a complete cure but at any time, as far as I can see, the cancer could return. She seems to say that she has monthly treatments on a maintenance dosage. I really hope she’s making the most of life that she has left, because knowing about drugs and cancer, they always have the capacity to surprise you.
I’d also like to complain about the repetitiveness of Julie’s little chant about ‘My body is healthy, my organs are healthy’. I’m all for mindfulness and appreciating what you have, and supporting your body mentally, but arg! it just was very irritating for me. There is some useful things to take from this because it promotes still having a healthy lifestyle and remaining active as much you, but also really pushing for the help that you need.
Thankfully no need to provide stars for this one. Look elsewhere for an Australian cancer memoir.
August 7, 2021
Patient 71 is the intensely personal retelling of the hours, weeks, months and years of Julie’s life from the moment she was told she had terminal cancer.
Duffy’s Review Of Patient 71
By the time I was 20 pages in, I felt I knew Julie and her family life. The deep wave of emotion which ran over me when the news of Julie’s terminal cancer was delivered was unexpected and certainly triggered painful memories of losing my beloved grandparents, so be prepared for these moments.
Patient 71 highlights the resolve and spirit of an average Australian family. How the humdrum of an average day can change in the blink of an eye; where families quickly adjust from chatting at breakfast about Australian Idol and where to go on holiday, to who will drive a loved one to a scan and where the money for chemo treatment will come from.
Julie Randall is headstrong, smart and came across as having boundless love for her husband and daughters. She can also be a little sarcastic and cranky too, but hey, if I was told my seemingly healthy happy body was riddled with death-inducing tumours, I might be forgiven for being a little emotional, snappy and erratic!
Who Should Read Patient 71
Anyone looking for hope, inspiration, and a solid Australian human interest story without too much sentimentality. Patient 71 isn’t all heartbreak and chemo; there are some laughs too. It’s all facets of one life and a story, which is unfortunately too common and incredibly unfair. Hundreds are diagnosed with cancer every day in Australia, and Patient 71 just happens to be one person’s decision to say ‘not just yet’.
Duffy’s Review Of Patient 71
By the time I was 20 pages in, I felt I knew Julie and her family life. The deep wave of emotion which ran over me when the news of Julie’s terminal cancer was delivered was unexpected and certainly triggered painful memories of losing my beloved grandparents, so be prepared for these moments.
Patient 71 highlights the resolve and spirit of an average Australian family. How the humdrum of an average day can change in the blink of an eye; where families quickly adjust from chatting at breakfast about Australian Idol and where to go on holiday, to who will drive a loved one to a scan and where the money for chemo treatment will come from.
Julie Randall is headstrong, smart and came across as having boundless love for her husband and daughters. She can also be a little sarcastic and cranky too, but hey, if I was told my seemingly healthy happy body was riddled with death-inducing tumours, I might be forgiven for being a little emotional, snappy and erratic!
Who Should Read Patient 71
Anyone looking for hope, inspiration, and a solid Australian human interest story without too much sentimentality. Patient 71 isn’t all heartbreak and chemo; there are some laughs too. It’s all facets of one life and a story, which is unfortunately too common and incredibly unfair. Hundreds are diagnosed with cancer every day in Australia, and Patient 71 just happens to be one person’s decision to say ‘not just yet’.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews