What do you think?
Rate this book
F*** You Cancer
BRAND NEW, Exactly same ISBN as listed, Please double check ISBN carefully before ordering.
272 pages, Paperback
Published October 4, 2018
87 people are currently reading
220 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
December 17, 2018
This book promises a lot and - at least from my perspective - it doesn't really deliver. I don't know Deborah James, haven't listened to the pod cast she did with two other cancer patients, and haven't read her blog so I came to this blind to her but not to her situation. In the 8 years since I had cancer - a type for which the advice in this book is largely irrelevant - I have read scores of cancerographies; the good, the bad and the ugly of cancer experience. I've also been a Community Champion for Macmillan's online community so I've had exposure to people across the full range of cancer types.
In my opinion - and it's hard to offer anything that isn't opinionated on the subject - the best cancerographies are either very specific to a cancer type and offer the kind of detailed support that a smallish group of readers really need or they are deeply personal and the cancer type is irrelevant to the reader's sense of 'Wow! This person really has something important to say'. F*** You Cancer tries to be a bit of both and ends up not really satisfying either camp. I know a little about bowel cancer after supporting a friend through his wife's treatment and I got to the end of the book and realised I didn't even know what surgery DJ had or whether she had to deal with an ostomy and reversals and such-like. I knew she liked lipstick, wine, and high heels though - boy did I know that because she told us again and again and again.
Probably the best parts for me were the little extracts from other people she'd met along the way, and of course the testimonies of her two children. I also thought some of the end of chapter notes were very good.
On content and literary merit I'd be at 2-stars for this but added the third because it's incredibly well-intentioned and I don't want to be the person to tell somebody who's going through a horrible time that I didn't think her book was worthy of 3. I wish her all the best for a long and healthy future.
As an aside, I chose to respect my cancer, not swear at it. Working on the theory that I MADE it, that it was part of me and therefore I couldn't hate IT without hating myself, I abhor the 'up yours cancer' and 'F*** you, cancer' movement. Know your enemy but respect it too.
In my opinion - and it's hard to offer anything that isn't opinionated on the subject - the best cancerographies are either very specific to a cancer type and offer the kind of detailed support that a smallish group of readers really need or they are deeply personal and the cancer type is irrelevant to the reader's sense of 'Wow! This person really has something important to say'. F*** You Cancer tries to be a bit of both and ends up not really satisfying either camp. I know a little about bowel cancer after supporting a friend through his wife's treatment and I got to the end of the book and realised I didn't even know what surgery DJ had or whether she had to deal with an ostomy and reversals and such-like. I knew she liked lipstick, wine, and high heels though - boy did I know that because she told us again and again and again.
Probably the best parts for me were the little extracts from other people she'd met along the way, and of course the testimonies of her two children. I also thought some of the end of chapter notes were very good.
On content and literary merit I'd be at 2-stars for this but added the third because it's incredibly well-intentioned and I don't want to be the person to tell somebody who's going through a horrible time that I didn't think her book was worthy of 3. I wish her all the best for a long and healthy future.
As an aside, I chose to respect my cancer, not swear at it. Working on the theory that I MADE it, that it was part of me and therefore I couldn't hate IT without hating myself, I abhor the 'up yours cancer' and 'F*** you, cancer' movement. Know your enemy but respect it too.
February 22, 2024
Lesin fyrir vinnuna! Mjög góð! Stútfull af ráðum og reynslusögum. Sýnist hún helst hafa fengið gagnrýni fyrir að tækla of breitt svið, frekar en að einblína á ristilkrabbamein (sem Deborah var með) en ég hugsaði einmitt eftir lesturinn að það gætu örugglega allir fundið einhver nýtileg ráð í þessari bók, þó fæstir myndu tengja við allt. Ég allavega eyrnamerkti fullt af blaðsíðum til að nótera hjá mér ráð.
April 11, 2019
I'm currently undergoing chemotherapy for stage 4 breast cancer and feeling pretty grim. The fact that Deborah had the energy to write this whilst going through her own treatment is remarkable so she deserves five 🌟 for that alone.
That being said the focus on, wine, hair , lipstick, shopping and wine didn't appeal. But then it wouldn't have pre cancer so whatever floats your boat.
The Fuck You Cancer thing doesn't grab me either. It's a disease , not a person and as such does not respond to name calling and prude like I'm not a fan of the F word. However I'm living with this thing and don't want all that remains to revolve around cancer. There's so much more to life. Which is basically what Deborah is saying.
A good book and laughter with my family, a row with friends and a run with my best beloved.
You can keep the wine , tastes yucky on docetaxel anyway.
That being said the focus on, wine, hair , lipstick, shopping and wine didn't appeal. But then it wouldn't have pre cancer so whatever floats your boat.
The Fuck You Cancer thing doesn't grab me either. It's a disease , not a person and as such does not respond to name calling and prude like I'm not a fan of the F word. However I'm living with this thing and don't want all that remains to revolve around cancer. There's so much more to life. Which is basically what Deborah is saying.
A good book and laughter with my family, a row with friends and a run with my best beloved.
You can keep the wine , tastes yucky on docetaxel anyway.
February 5, 2019
Listened via audible. Huge fan of Deborah and what she is doing about spreading the C word! Saying I ‘enjoyed’ this audio book feels slightly wrong but really do feel that I have a better insight into how cancer can and could effect you.
April 1, 2024
Highly reccomend this to anyone on their cancer journey or supporting someone who is on this journey. It’s funny, but helpful form a resource guide. Some aspects didn’t fit for my journey but overall it makes this journey way less scary.
#fuckcancer 💪🏻💜👏🏻
#fuckcancer 💪🏻💜👏🏻
September 6, 2024
Was okay, a good first book about cancer although I have read too many for this to be anything new. Time to stop reading about cancer :)
June 11, 2022
Read this book in an effort to help me come to terms with and understand/ relate to the struggles of those living with cancer. This is one incredible lady, and the message of this book is delivered with indelible humour and poignancy throughout. I am truly humbled.
October 5, 2018
Deborah James you’re amazing. So is F*** You Cancer.
I have metastatic breast cancer. Deborah has bowel cancer. It’s totally different. But so much is still the same: being blind sided by a scary diagnosis; dealing with altering prognoses; getting through treatment eventually; coping with the anxiety of regular scans and the terror of being pretty certain it will be back but hoping somehow that it won’t, because statistics can’t tell us anything for certain. She has tips for it all and for communicating with the people who love us and go through it all with us.
This book is so real, and it’s full of great advice in small, digestible, mini-headings (with top tips at the end of each chapter). I would recommend it to anyone with any type of cancer at any stage. Deborah James’ instagram name is @bowelbabe and she is a babe. She rocks high heels, short skirts and lippy, but she thinks deep which is why this book is for everyone, men and women. It is about how to feel the best you can. There are no guilt trips; no insistence on being positive, only suggestions for ‘using our mind in a positive way to help us deal with all that is thrown at us.’ The chapter on children is exceptionally thoughtful, and she’s spot on with her focus on being kind to yourself and celebrating milestones, big and small.
With very good reason she has a great deal of time for her health team at the Royal Marsden, just as I have for my team at Guy’s who’ve kept me alive for seven years. Both of us believe that the most helpful comment ever came early on when they said ‘we just want you to know we’re going to throw the kitchen sink at this.’ Thank God I don’t live in the US is all I can say, where you can max out your private health care insurance at $1million.
We both began this roller-coaster with needle phobias; both got to a day when we were too scared to look in the mirror in case we wouldn’t recognize the reflection; and both ended up feeling, and I quote: ‘I’m proud of what my body has been through; I am sexy; these scars make me unique and I love them and they’re keeping me alive.’ As Deborah says ‘you will become braver and stronger than you ever thought possible because you have no other choice.’ If you’re just starting on this journey into the unknown read this book and let it show you you’re definitely not alone.
I have metastatic breast cancer. Deborah has bowel cancer. It’s totally different. But so much is still the same: being blind sided by a scary diagnosis; dealing with altering prognoses; getting through treatment eventually; coping with the anxiety of regular scans and the terror of being pretty certain it will be back but hoping somehow that it won’t, because statistics can’t tell us anything for certain. She has tips for it all and for communicating with the people who love us and go through it all with us.
This book is so real, and it’s full of great advice in small, digestible, mini-headings (with top tips at the end of each chapter). I would recommend it to anyone with any type of cancer at any stage. Deborah James’ instagram name is @bowelbabe and she is a babe. She rocks high heels, short skirts and lippy, but she thinks deep which is why this book is for everyone, men and women. It is about how to feel the best you can. There are no guilt trips; no insistence on being positive, only suggestions for ‘using our mind in a positive way to help us deal with all that is thrown at us.’ The chapter on children is exceptionally thoughtful, and she’s spot on with her focus on being kind to yourself and celebrating milestones, big and small.
With very good reason she has a great deal of time for her health team at the Royal Marsden, just as I have for my team at Guy’s who’ve kept me alive for seven years. Both of us believe that the most helpful comment ever came early on when they said ‘we just want you to know we’re going to throw the kitchen sink at this.’ Thank God I don’t live in the US is all I can say, where you can max out your private health care insurance at $1million.
We both began this roller-coaster with needle phobias; both got to a day when we were too scared to look in the mirror in case we wouldn’t recognize the reflection; and both ended up feeling, and I quote: ‘I’m proud of what my body has been through; I am sexy; these scars make me unique and I love them and they’re keeping me alive.’ As Deborah says ‘you will become braver and stronger than you ever thought possible because you have no other choice.’ If you’re just starting on this journey into the unknown read this book and let it show you you’re definitely not alone.
August 16, 2022
4.5 stars
I read this book about two years ago. I've followed Dame Deborah James since her story with cancer became public and until she unfortunately passed away in June. I found F**k You Cancer to be a very inspiring and uplifting read. I found Deborah's zest for life and positivity despite such a devastating diagnosis very inspiring. It helped to come to terms with my mum's stage 3 lung cancer diagnosed (luckily, my mum has been NED for the past two years). Dame Deborah's book definitely made me feel less alone, especially as cancer is something that as a society people don't like to talk about. Deborah's positivity and hope definitely helped me. This was an extremely easy, engaging, touching and funny read. The only reason I didn't give it five stars was because it's more an instruction manual of how to cope with cancer and there were some parts that I felt were more applicable to cancer sufferers than to family and friends of a loved one with cancer. It was a wonderful read though and I will be reading Dame Deborah's new book, "How To Live When You Could Be Dead" when it's available.
RIP Dame Deborah- you inspired and helped so many.
Grade: A+
I read this book about two years ago. I've followed Dame Deborah James since her story with cancer became public and until she unfortunately passed away in June. I found F**k You Cancer to be a very inspiring and uplifting read. I found Deborah's zest for life and positivity despite such a devastating diagnosis very inspiring. It helped to come to terms with my mum's stage 3 lung cancer diagnosed (luckily, my mum has been NED for the past two years). Dame Deborah's book definitely made me feel less alone, especially as cancer is something that as a society people don't like to talk about. Deborah's positivity and hope definitely helped me. This was an extremely easy, engaging, touching and funny read. The only reason I didn't give it five stars was because it's more an instruction manual of how to cope with cancer and there were some parts that I felt were more applicable to cancer sufferers than to family and friends of a loved one with cancer. It was a wonderful read though and I will be reading Dame Deborah's new book, "How To Live When You Could Be Dead" when it's available.
RIP Dame Deborah- you inspired and helped so many.
Grade: A+
January 14, 2026
I remember when Deborah passed away. I didn't know much about her or her cancer but I felt very sad that someone so young and vibrant had to die. I also didn't know that years later I would be reading her book looking for every small bit of positivity about cancer that I could find. My cancer is different to Deborah's and my prognosis at the moment is a positive one but I still relate to so much in her book. I smiled throughout. Can you imagine that? Smiling whilst reading about someone's journey through cancer. Deborah, thank you for your book and for making me smile. For the reminders that no matter what's happening around me, I am alive today. I might not want to celebrate that fact all day everyday but there are lots of little things I can do to help myself ♡ Sending your friends and family lots of love and hugs
May 23, 2022
I've been following Deborah's story on Instagram and was inspired to pick up this book. She's an inspiration and is so generous with her time and advice for other people going through cancer. It's a tough read as you can imagine, but it is also heartwarming and hopefully, it gives other people strength and makes them feel less alone. I'm grateful to Deborah for sharing so I can understand a little more about what it's like to have cancer, and how much it needs to f*** off.
March 23, 2023
The first of Deborah’s 2 books - I actually read this one second. My wife got both books just after she herself was diagnosed with multiple myeloma - a blood cancer - and had undergone months of chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant. The positive outlook is something that we all should adopt - not just cancer patients. Their families, friends and so on. Our own journey included so many any elements Deborah describes, and we can certainly identify with the steroid experiences.
It’s well worth a read - a relatively short book packed with humour, opinion, medical facts and great advice from a lady that knows how to live to the full.
It’s well worth a read - a relatively short book packed with humour, opinion, medical facts and great advice from a lady that knows how to live to the full.
March 21, 2024
A brilliant book , I binged this all in a day, its perfect with insites from people living it and unfortunatly died from it.
Top tips from each chapter were brilliant and I highly recommend this book if you have or are supporting somone with the awful C .
"I may not grow old but my quality of life will be rich and full of love"
"Treat life as though it is the most prescious thing in the world, for it is"
Deborah James ....F*** You Cancer!!
Top tips from each chapter were brilliant and I highly recommend this book if you have or are supporting somone with the awful C .
"I may not grow old but my quality of life will be rich and full of love"
"Treat life as though it is the most prescious thing in the world, for it is"
Deborah James ....F*** You Cancer!!
November 17, 2018
A down-to-earth, well-meaning book that is (unfortunately) relatable. An overuse of exclamation marks plus a tendency to focus on the usage of lipstick (not my bag) and wine-drinking (not so great when nothing tastes ‘right’ any more), but the author’s heart and intentions are definitely in the right place.
March 1, 2020
It is difficult to write a book on dealing with incurable cancer with wit and humour but Deborah James has achieved it. This is a must read for anyone dealing with terminal cancer and anyone who cares about someone with terminal cancer. Tells it how it is - warts and all - but still with hope and encouragement to live life however much you have left.
August 10, 2022
This was brilliant. Emotive and inspirational, Deborah James writes with real wit and humour without sugar coating how scary cancer can be. For every story about bodily fluids there is a story about how genuinely terrifying cancer can be for the person going through it and there families. This was amazing.
August 26, 2025
Ms James first book. This was a tremendous help to me when I was first diagnosed. It's a simple read, but it directly addresses the confusion following a cancer diagnosis, when you feel so alone, despite being surrounded by loved ones, trying to figure stuff out. I'd put this book and Simon Boas's book top of the list when you get told you've got incurable cancer.
January 3, 2019
I cannot praise this book more highly. I don’t have cancer but read this as a former nurse interested in palliative care who has been medically retired due to chronic health conditions. Deborah writes very honestly and deals with all aspects of dealing with cancer or indeed many chronic illnesses.
March 1, 2019
A book about living with Cancer, but equally applicable to those who don't have Cancer but are supporting those who do, or just to those who need reminding how precious life is.
Rock on Debs, you are an inspiration.
Rock on Debs, you are an inspiration.
June 13, 2021
Such a brilliant book. This book can help with any prep for an op or diagnosis, Deborah beautifully discusses mindset and different stages and processes. It’s an honest book which I would give to any friend who needed it.
April 6, 2023
Great guide for those who have been diagnosed with cancer (or someone in their life who has been diagnosed). Filled with positivity, reassurance and practical advice. Obviously devastating that Deborah is no longer with us but her advice and inspiration lives on.
May 6, 2020
Brilliant. Truly inspirational and worth the read.
May 29, 2022
4.5 stars. What an amazing strong woman using her experience to help others. Deborah you are inspiring 💕
July 12, 2022
Life is too short
I loved the whole experience of the book, and all the information that was in it, Deborah was an inspirational person, who I'll never forget. Rip bowel babe xx
I loved the whole experience of the book, and all the information that was in it, Deborah was an inspirational person, who I'll never forget. Rip bowel babe xx
July 15, 2022
Absolutely brilliant read the book in a day, for someone who has just been diagnosed with cancer it was a great help recommend anybody going through it or there families to read it
August 10, 2022
This was brilliant. Deborah James writes with wit and humour about cancer. This book was impactful and emotive and was beautifully written.
April 6, 2024
This is a very easy book to read - despite the title and whether you have cancer , know someone who has cancer or any other life threatening illness you should read it
January 31, 2022
listened as an audiobook on my journey to gain some more insights into my friend's world as she starts chemo. not my first friend with cancer, unlikely to be the last. fuck you cancer, indeed.
I appreciate the frankness, which is entirely understandable. it's not written (or spoken) for friends/family, tho does have some of our best and worst traits in mind... which is handy to be reminded about when you have no idea what the right or wrong thing to say or do is for a loved one in this situation.
quite open about how it doesn't go into the science sides. there are so many types, and everyone's contexts are different, so that's not what this is for.
I think it's a blog extension, which makes a lot of sense. I can imagine her online community feeling quite refreshing and empowering. she also talks quite like my friend... which made it both easier and harder to hear.
I appreciate the frankness, which is entirely understandable. it's not written (or spoken) for friends/family, tho does have some of our best and worst traits in mind... which is handy to be reminded about when you have no idea what the right or wrong thing to say or do is for a loved one in this situation.
quite open about how it doesn't go into the science sides. there are so many types, and everyone's contexts are different, so that's not what this is for.
I think it's a blog extension, which makes a lot of sense. I can imagine her online community feeling quite refreshing and empowering. she also talks quite like my friend... which made it both easier and harder to hear.
June 19, 2023
Audio
It was sad to hear this in her own words when you know how the story ends. Tips on how to help and how to live life to the full after diagnosis. Heartbreaking but you can see how it would be helpful to someone recently diagnosed or their family/friends. A good guide.
It was sad to hear this in her own words when you know how the story ends. Tips on how to help and how to live life to the full after diagnosis. Heartbreaking but you can see how it would be helpful to someone recently diagnosed or their family/friends. A good guide.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews