Cancer fighter Emma’s novel tops book charts
EMMA Hannigan’s latest book ‘Letters To My Daughters’ has reached the top spot in the Irish book charts.
Just days after the popular Bray author announced that she did not have long left to live, a massive social media campaign, led by fellow Irish authors, was launched to get the book to the top of the best-sellers list.
Publishers Dubray Books announced the news on Twitter late last week after the #LetterstoMyDaughters campaign.
They also asked for donations to Breast Cancer Ireland, for which Emma is an ambassador. Dubray Books is supporting the cause by donating all profits from the sales of the book to the charity. Eason also said it would make donations.
Dubray Books also said the book is currently being reprinted.
Author and mother-of-two Hannigan (45), who has been battling cancer for several years, has revealed that doctors can no longer help her. On February 16, she said that the love of her family, friends and fans has sustained her throughout her fight.
She discovered in 2005 that she was carrying the BRCA 1 cancer gene, which meant an 85 per cent chance of developing breast cancer and a 50 per cent chance of ovarian cancer.
To reduce her risk to five per cent, she had surgery to remove her breasts, ovaries and fallopian tubes.
In spite of the surgery, she was diagnosed with cancer for the first time in 2007, and her 11-year battle began.
Last week actress and singer Maria Doyle Kennedy called on writers and actors to publicly read a chapter each of Emma’s latest book to raise money for cancer research.
Doyle Kennedy is hoping the Olympia Theatre will host the event after expressing her feelings on Twitter. The Commitments and Striking Out star tweeted: ‘I know there are lots of writers, actors and friends who could line up to read a chapter each or part of one. I’m in for starters. Olympia theatre?’
Thousands of people have expressed their upset at the Hannigan’s devastating news.
Her friend TV3’s Elaine Crowley also paid tribute to Hannigan in a unique way. Elaine, who’s an Ambassador for Breast Cancer Ireland got a tattoo of a unicorn which she revealed to viewers on the Elaine show.
She said: ‘Emma Hannigan is the best person I know. ‘I became an Ambassador for Breast Cancer Ireland because of her, and she’s still determined to raise as much money as possible for research.
‘She gave me a voucher for a tattoo for my 40th, we were supposed to get one done together, but as Emma says herself, cancer robbed us of that.
‘So we decided this was a good idea to raise funds for BCI, plus she knows I’m a big chicken and she got a great laugh when I sent her the picture of my Unicorn Ass tattoo!
‘Friends don’t come any better than Emma, and everyone involved with BCI, we’re not going to give up until we find a cure.’
Hannigan, the author of 13 books, thanked her fans for their messages. ‘I can’t begin to thank you all for the gorgeous comments and kind messages,’ she said.
‘But if you’d like to help create new cures, text CURE to 50300. ‘It will cost you €4 but I promise it will help. Without new drugs I wouldn’t have had the last 10 years.’