Review: There Must Be More by Kelly Finlayson with Alley Pascoe

When Kellie Finlayson was just twenty-five years old, she received a shocking diagnosis--she had stage four bowel cancer. Four years later and (thankfully) she is still here and raising awareness, shattering myths about bowel cancer and being a passionate advocate for bowel cancer awareness and an ambassador for the Jodi Lee Foundation. There Must be More is her personal story, detailing her diagnosis, treatment and the ups and downs experienced along the way.     

This was a powerful read. Bowel cancer isn't always the easiest of things for people to talk about. It is also something that, here in Australia we often associate with aging--so much so that every Australian receives a bowel cancer test kit from the government on their fiftieth birthday. In reality it can happen to anyone, and Kellie Finlayson has played a huge role in creating that awareness in me, and, I suspect people like me. However, There Must Be More is not only a book about raising awareness. It is a powerful memoir of what it means to be living with cancer--the shock diagnosis, the honest account of what chemotherapy is really like, juggling being the mother of a three month old with cancer treatments--but it is also an account of the importance of having hope, and the way she chose to respond to the diagnosis.  I admire the way the author has put herself out there, giving an honest account of her personal experiences, and normalising conversations around bowel cancer.

Simultaneously heartbreaking and hopeful Kellie Finlayson's memoir is a story of tenacity and purpose.

Recommended. 

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