Support a nonfiction book about terminal leukemia

Hi, I’m Katherina Thomas. I’m a writer and health researcher and I write about health equity and access to healthcare.

Since 2021, I’ve been working on a nonfiction book about leukemia, co-written by my amazing late father in the last weeks and days of his life. You may have read excerpts from the book in the Boston Globe (above) and NHS Blood Donation. My dad and I decided to tell the story of what it’s like for patients and their families to go through a terminal diagnosis so that these experiences could be better understood. Some of the biggest gaps in health research right now relate to the voices of patients and communities ~ especially those from vulnerable groups including older patients ~ which historically haven’t carried as much weight as the voices of health workers. Before he died, my dad told me that he wanted to tell his story to help “light the way” for others who will receive similar terminal diagnoses in the future.

The great news is that after many months of hard work, our manuscript is almost ready to send to agents and publishers. But unfortunately this race-to-the-finish-line coincides with a difficult period for me without any consulting gigs and commissions for over 4 months now, and things are getting very tight for me to continue. As a self-employed person, my options are limited. Will you help us get over the finish line?

I know there are many important causes to donate to at the moment, so if we secure a publishing deal, I’ll be refunding all donations I receive back to you. I’ll also be donating 50% of any sum that we secure over the fundraising goal to the brilliant Blood Cancer UK.

Thank you all.