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Mother turns cancer experience into children's book

Alex Pope
BBC News, Buckinghamshire
Author in Me Priyanka Pandya-Bhatt, wearing a white outfit, looking at the camera and smiling, she has shoulder length dark hair, and is wearing a silver necklace. She is front of a red wall. Author in Me
Priyanka Pandya-Bhatt said the book is for children to help understand their emotions

A mother and teacher has used the life-changing experience of a cancer diagnosis to develop a children's book to help families deal with tough questions.

Priyanka Pandya-Bhatt, from Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, penned When Mummy Had Cancer as "a tool, to have open conversations and help families".

She said she was inspired by her daughters Keya, seven, and Shriyana, five, during those "two very difficult years" of treatment.

"My main focus was ensuring that the girls knew what was going on because I don't want them making up their own stories," she said.

Priyanka Pandya-Bhatt A family in a park, a man to the left, a woman, and two children at the front. They are all wearing winter coats, the children have hats on, the man has a hat on and Priyanka has her hair down and is wearing a red coat. They are all by a park with a water and a water feature in the middle. Priyanka Pandya-Bhatt
Mrs Pandya-Bhatt said she wanted to be open with her children, Keya and Shriyana

The 39-year-old was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer at the age of 36 and began writing the book while she underwent rounds of chemotherapy.

Mrs Pandya-Bhatt said she first discovered a lump in her breast at Easter 2022, which led to a mastectomy, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and reconstructive surgery.

By October 2023, she was "given the all clear" and was now in remission.

Author in Me Artwork for When Mummy Had Cancer showing a mother, with a bald head, with a flower behind her ear, crouching down, talking to her daughter, with long dark hair. She has a scarf found her neck, that then flows into a tree with branches and leaves, with the book title to the left, all the colours are autumnal, so brown peach and red. Author in Me
The book is told from a children's perspective and features artwork by Debasmita Dasgupta

She said there had been plenty of advice for her and her husband Manoj Bhatt, but she felt her children were missing out.

"I thought, how much do you tell them, or don't tell them?" she said.

"I think the questions that I've incorporated into this book would help any family in any situation.

"Children should know they're not alone."

Priyanka Pandya-Bhatt Priyanka Pandya-Bhatt with her husband, Manoj Priyanka, sitting at a table, wearing white tops with Mickey Mouse on Priynaka, has a headscarf on and Manoy has a bald head. They are in a restaurant, with salt and pepper bottles on the table. Priyanka Pandya-Bhatt
Mrs Pandya-Bhatt, pictured with her husband Manoj, said when she first approached her publishers she was told they "did not do picture books" but saw something in her idea

Lorna Russell, from Hope, a charity that supports young people aged five to 25 when a family member is diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, said "talking to children openly and honestly is really important as they can pick up on things really quickly".

"Whilst it's a conversation no parent wants to have, sitting down and letting the child know what's going on, and allowing them to ask questions about anything they don't understand, can help them feel like they have a bit more control in what is a really difficult situation for everyone," she said.

She said the charity had wellbeing advisers who young people could talk to and it was important "to remind children it's OK to still do the things they enjoy, and to have fun".

Author in Me Five women standing in front of a screen, smiling and looking towards the camera. The woman on the far left is looking slightly away, with long dark hair, a skirt and black top, the next woman long is wearing a red dress, and has long dark hair, the woman in the middle has on a long silk scarf and dark top, with long dark hair, Priyanka, is wearing a white lace all in one trouser outfit, holding her book, and the woman on the right has short pink hair, is also holding the book and is wearing all black. Author in Me
Mrs Pandya-Bhatt at her book launch, standing next to Debasmita Dasgupta, its illustrator

Mrs Pandya-Bhatt said her daughters were now "a lot more confident" and they "saw themselves reflected in the book".

"It's brought something very positive out of two very difficult years that were horrific," she said.

It has also led to her becoming a children's life coach.

She said that cancer was not always openly talked about in South Asian culture but "the community needs to come away from that".

"I'd rather speak to my children and tell them everything that I know, which has come from a professional, from someone with a medical background, rather than them Googling or going to a smart speaker."

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