Joined in 2023 
82 
63 About this deal
Comedian Darren Harriott has come a long way since he was car sharing his way around the UK as a teenager looking to forge a career in stand up comedy. Most recently you’ll find him slicing his way across the ice on the latest season of Dancing on Ice, on numerous panel shows and comedy stages after being nominated for the Best Newcomer Award and Best Show Award at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2017 and 2019. But in my community (myositis), it seems like being a woman, and being a woman of colour, already makes you start with a disadvantage. Gareth fills his days creating social media content, rubbing shoulders with celebs, curating live events, and trawling through the extensive archives of all the incredible and oh so memeable moments from pop culture history. But as you’ll find out, his journey to creating the life he’s always dreamed of was born out of the battles he faced on the way.
Feb told it was secondary breast cancer - it had already spread to my lower spine (which explained the immeasurable pain). When I first started reading this I almost felt a little arrogant, saying to myself “Of course that’s breast cancer!!” Then I realised the only reason I recognised those symptoms were because of Coppafeel, the resources from them I’d seen online and resources/pop ups during my time at uni. So my first thank you to Kris is for the knowledge.From being a twin obviously there was a lot of emotions to be read during this. I was so angry at the GP and felt every bit of anger and hurt the family was going through. For me the quotes within this read were inspirational. I loved the notes from the mums baby book about when the twins were young and I loved the mini journal entries and dates.
In the very same setting where I and my friend work, another colleague has a daughter who was told by a MALE GP that her bleeding between periods was likely due to rough sex with her boyfriend!! After pushing to get a cervical smear, she was diagnosed with cervical cancer and subsequently treated!! This is the type of book where there are certain parts that the reader can identify with , it doesn't matter who you are there will be something in the book that will speak to you and that is what is beautiful about it , its a book that doesn't exclude anybody. You will go through a rollercoaster of events , you will ride the highs and the lows , you will be happy and you will cry your eyes out . How to Glitter a Turd aims “help people navigate any of life‚Äôs big challenges, as well as the very particular trauma that is cancer.” Hallenga said: “This book will shine a new perspective on survival. I‚Äôve survived the un-survivable for 11 years, and am slowly figuring out why. It‚Äôs my discoveries that can help the most ordinary of people, with the most normal of life‚Äôs problems, learn from a normal girl with an extraordinary story. In doing so I hope to take away the very conditioned fear that has been instilled in us at the word ‘cancer‚Äô.”What an inspiring story of a 23 year olds journey with what started as breast cancer during a pandemic. I loved how witty it was and how the authors spirits were so high. I’ve read a few memoirs and this was so powerful. For listeners of the Glittering A Turd, CALM is offering an exclusive offer of 40% off a CALM Premium subscription at CALM.COM/GLITTER If you were sitting in a room chatting to Kris I cannot imagine the conversation to be any more intimate and engaging than the writing in this book. Kris talks about her childhood, her family, her relationships, the things she loves and hates, how she set up Coppafeel because she believed in cancer prevention and early diagnosis. Starting in a little tent at a festival, winging it, the charity has become a huge force in making changes in health education, a dialogue about the C word and has literally saved the lives of many women who have gone to their GPs armed with Kris’ story. And yes Kris writes about her cancer. Diagnosed at 23 - and isn’t that the ‘turd’ of the title - after a series of terrible missed opportunities/ mis-diagnoses which meant that her eventual diagnosis had a ‘terminal’ label.
I remember when Kris and Coppafeel first came to the public knowledge - I can’t believe that’s over a decade ago now!Diagnosed with liver mets and lesions on my hips, pelvis, and more spinal areas. Vertebroplasty to fix my crumbled lower spine and some radiotherapy to upper spine, hips and pelvis. Switched from tamoxifen to letrozole, faslodex and zoladex. Continued with zometa. Unbound commissioning editor Joelle Owusu said: “I‚Äôm delighted to be working with Kris on such a unique and exciting book. She is a true inspiration and she puts her heart and vivacious personality into everything she does. This book offers a whole-hearted and funny perspective on the realities of living with cancer and she is not just surviving but thriving. It‚Äôs been a joy to bring the project to life.”
It’s (wait for it) mindfulness! Well, sort of. Actually, it’s conscious awareness of the neurological limitations of our own systems. In other words, learning that the system is likely to offer a false or skewed viewpoint on reality, and to use (for want of a better term) a software patch to correct this error. Because we can’t trust ourselves to make rational decisions, especially based on our ‘gut feelings’ (see here) we need an alternative decision matrix to refer to. I like to call this anchoring, but call it anything you like. Instead of insisting we know what to do when we actually have no idea, and then making a poor decision based on the emotional and cognitive imperative of the moment, we can evaluate the present situation based on a separate platform. This requires some deep (Type II) thought: what is actually effective for you based on the evidence of your past behaviour and its consequences? What provides longer-term meaning and satisfaction, even though it might be awkward, uncomfortable, or even distressing in the short-term? Remember that, when trying to determine this framework, you’ll probably be self-deluding by making stuff up to fit a viewpoint of events (see here for a discussion of values). This is why working with a psychologist can help – it’s easier to be objective about what actually happened. I have, over the years, integrated other treatments alongside my conventional regimen. I’ve tried all the below - and have marked the ones I am currently still benefitting from. This book time hops to give you an insight into the life growing up, the life before diagnosis and the life during the diagnosis. It emotionally connects you more the further you read into every chapter. The chapter titles made me smile. I’m glad the chapters were not just labelled a number.If you want to share the story of how you've glittered your turd, send a voice note or WhatsApp to the Turd Hotline >>> +44 (0)776 923 7544 Radiotherapy to spine commenced, followed by chemo commenced - FEC-T and eventually a left mastectomy followed by chest radiotherapy. Shortly after I commenced Tamoxifen and monthly zometa IV. Rage at the egotistical, dismissive, offhand, "I know better because I'm a professional type" doctors who won't f**king listen to their patients who know their own bodies best!!!! This book just brings home how disparaging some doctors, particularly GP's can be, towards women with clear symptoms of cancer. For some reason there seems to be a "can't be arsed" attitude to even refer people for scans, biopsies, mammograms, ultrasound scans, MRI's. Everything is dismissed as "your hormones, your age, your lifestyle", with a definite leaning towards the "watch and wait" scenario. It's not good enough, nor has it ever been. To get such a life-changing diagnosis so young is... I have no words, and I went throught it, although my diagnosis was not cancer, and my recovery and remission was (is) shorter than what Kris went through, I could relate so much. Kris's story should make you feel grateful for every second you're alive. It's a testament to her positivity, empathy, bravery and her unfailing sense of humour' Dermot O'Leary
Great Deal 
New Comment