Lauren Bolus-Jones and her mum Debra Hanson-Bolus have collaborated to have a very special and unique book published.
The book is to help children understand the difficult effects of chemotherapy. It came about after Debra developed breast cancer and when going through treatment, she created a story to tell a 2 / 3 year old Lauren what was happening, in a way she would understand and not be scared, it was about a poorly doll and how the other toys reacted.
Sadly, after a fight Debra didn’t win her cancer battle, as a creative mind and in wanting her daughter to know her she kept many diaries and in one wrote the story down. It remained until Laurens colleague was in a similar situation, developed breast cancer with a little girl. So, she typed it up and sent it, it had such a positive impact more than Lauren could ever have imagined, that a crowd funding page was set up to get it professionally published and in two weeks raised the funds.
Lauren was a part of the illustrations and editing process, making sure her mum a part of it every step, from giving her copyright, to her name on it. A sad tale but one that has already done so much good and Lauren hopes will help many more in her mums’ memory.
With any profits she makes Lauren wishes to purchase copies and gift them to charities and centres, schools, and nurseries, this has already started with Maggie’s centre Nottingham and others.
Lauren said: “It’s bittersweet, what an honour to collaborated with my mum, and what a legacy she has left but heartbreaking she didn’t see it and she would never have dreamed she would be an author, the response to the story has been overwhelming, not only the intended audience but little girls in general loving the pretty doll and a story about kindness.”
Lauren lives in Radcliffe on Trent with her husband and on the same week of the book being published she became a mum herself for the first time, to her baby boy George.
You can purchase The poorly doll on Amazon or local bookshop, One More Chapter in Radcliffe on Trent is a stockist. There is also an Instagram page to see more about the incredible story behind the story, visit thepoorlydoll and drop Lauren a message.