Irish authors rally to try to get Emma’s book to number one after her devastating cancer news
FELLOW authors are banding together in a campaign to help get Emma Hannigan’s latest book to number one after she revealed late last week that she has not got long to live.
The bestselling author (45) told readers the devastating news in a blog post on Friday. She explained that the love of her family, friends and fans had sustained her throughout her long battle with cancer.
Now her fellow authors are campaigning to make sure the book reaches the top spot in the charts.
Author and TV writer Anna McPartlin yesterday shared an image of her reading Emma’s latest book, ‘Letters to my Daughters’.
She told her Twitter followers that it was “in shops now. Emma can’t promote her work herself so please join us. Buy it. Read it. Promote it.” McPartin tagged several wellknown authors and social media users in her post.
‘Unravelling
Oliver’ author Liz Nugent also wrote:
“As you might know by now, Emma Hannigan is dying after 13 years of cancer treatment. Her family and friends here and abroad are devastated. Let’s get her book to number one.”
Dubray Books also supported the cause and said it would donate all profits made to the Irish Cancer Society: “Let’s do this, readers ... Buy it for Emma, buy it to support anyone who has been touched by cancer (and buy it because as always it’s a wonderful book).”
Broadcaster Lorraine Keane posted a message online in support of Emma.
“Emma, you are one of the most beautiful and incredible women I have had the privilege to meet,” Ms Keane said.
“I’m not just saying it ... I am lucky to have met many fabulous and inspiring women in my lifetime ... but Emma Hannigan, you are very, very special, selfless, strong. My God, so strong.
“I just wanted you to know I have always admired you and as I sit down with my babies this evening (who are also towering over me) I am thinking of you and yours.”
Writing in the ‘Sunday Independent’, her friend and fellow author, Emily Hourican – who also faced a battle with cancer – paid a moving tribute.
“To say she will be missed is a pathetic attempt to grasp the extent of what she will leave. There are not, never have been, many like her,” she said. “Emma, in the years that I have known her, has always been vivacious, beautiful and funny.
“Completely gracious and gallant; a delicate wisp of a girl, with adamantine will.
“She didn’t just put up with the wretched things that happened to her; she refused, with sheer bloody-minded determination, to let them destroy her faith in life,” she added.
In 2005, Emma found that she was carrying the Brca1 cancer gene. This meant she had an 85pc chance of developing breast cancer and a 50pc chance of developing ovarian cancer.
To reduce her risk to 5pc, the brave mother opted for
‘‘ I have met many inspiring women but, Emma, you are very, very special, selfless, strong... so strong
preventative surgery. In 2006, Emma had a double mastectomy and had her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed.
However, in 2007, in spite of the surgery, she was diagnosed with cancer for the first time and a 11-year battle ensued.
She shared many of her experiences with readers in books and online – but writing on Friday she delivered the devastating news.
The mother of two said she had “the conversation I never wanted to have with my medical team” several days ago.
The Wicklow native posted on Facebook that “all good things must come to an end. The time that I knew was borrowed must be given back soon, so it seems.
“My medical team have thrown everything but the kitchen sink at this fight but all avenues have now been exhausted,” she said.
She also said: “I have a new book out. I’m immensely proud of it and it’s titled ‘Letters to my Daughters’. Usually I’d spend a next few weeks chatting about it and inevitably daring to wonder if you like it. Because this is the time when all authors want to hide in the back of the wardrobe in case nobody likes their new baby!
“I won’t need to hide unfortunately, but I sincerely hope you enjoy it. These characters were as real to me as all the others. They grew on me and some annoyed me at times, but as always, they were mine.
“Enjoy them, curl up with some chocolate or some comfort food and a cup or a glass of whatever tickles your fancy.”
Emma’s books include ‘Designer Genes’, ‘Miss Conceived’, ‘The Pink Ladies Club’, ‘Keeping Mum’, ‘Perfect Wives’, ‘Driving Home for Christmas’, ‘The Summer Guest’, ‘The Heart of Winter’, ‘The Secrets We Share’ and the memoir ‘Talk to the Headscarf’.