CHERIE NOBBS met her husband Butch in 1983 and both knew instantly that they were soul mates. They were married in a surprise ceremony in May 2008 while celebrating 25 years together with their two adult children, Gaven and Trish, family and friends.
Tragically, five months later Cherie Nobbs became a widow when her husband died of cancer. For those five months Cherie struggled to understand and cope with the trauma for herself and for Butch. She subsequently wrote a book - Cancer Journey Handbook for Travellers, Carers & Friends – as a way of dealing with her experience, and providing a useful reference for others going through a similar journey.
Cherie, a Nambour resident, explains to Hinterland Times readers how her devastating experience has propelled her into a new life direction.
“When I couldn’t find a book that I could relate to when Butch was first diagnosed with cancer, I would quite often jot down things that worried me or events that had happened. As time went by and my life focussed more on the journey we shared , I put them to one side”
After Butch passed away in September 2008, I was out walking with my daughter Trish, and I turned to her and said, ‘Why has no one written about this before? Why couldn’t I learn all this information from a book?’ I decided that if no one else was going to do it then I would, and so began five months of writing and research, culminating in my book.” Cancer Journey Handbook for Travellers, Carers & Friends is designed to be a handbook that friends, carers or travellers (cancer patients) can use for advice and comfort while going through a cancer journey. It covers emotional and physical side effects of cancer as well as presenting some of the many options available to travellers.
This easy-to-read and understand guide is divided into three sections: one covers carers and friends, how to cope with their feelings and gives some helpful pointers made in a non-clinical way.
The second section covers carers and travellers. It offers helpful advice for the emotional, psychological and physical side of the cancer journey. Cherie Nobbs uses her journey as an example, so it is full of personal experiences and insights.
The third section delves into the many aspects of grief, coping strategies and advice for friends of those who are grieving. Before her husband Butch passed away, Cherie assumed that grief was about missing the person who had died. She now understands there are many emotional, mental and physical aspects of grief.
“I believe my book has a gentle caring way of telling people not to be so hard on themselves, to help them make informed decisions and to explore their options completely,” says Cherie. “If we had known then what I know now, I believe our journey would have had a more enduring, positive outcome. “
“I am now writing two other books”, explains Cherie. “One is about Butch’s journey and another book is about grieving. I feel I have a slightly different concept on life and death to the books I have read, and once again, I want to share my thoughts and experiences with other people going through similar journeys”.
To learn more about Cherie Nobbs, or to purchase Cancer Journey Handbook for Travellers, Carers & Friends, visit her website at http://www.cnbe1.com
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