"Please come straight away. I have incurable cancer." I never expected these words to leave my 40-year-old husband's mouth when he rang me from the hospital in February 2024.

In the time that followed, grief took over regardless of my desire to endure. The single thing that continues to help our family fight Stage IV bowel cancer is knowing that someone, somewhere has already made this journey. We find immense comfort in uncovering stories of acceptance, resilience, perseverance and ultimately, hope.

This poetry collection marries words and emotions. My hope is that by sharing my Words On grief, many of which were written in the brightest and darkest times (and in some strange places!), it eases my anguish and yours, too, no matter what you're trudging through.