The writer, 54, said in a Facebook post on Wednesday that she was diagnosed in late 2022 but did not immediately share the news because she wanted to make sure her children “could hear and process the news safely.” privacy and adapting to our ‘new normal.’
The author said she had wanted to share an update on her health “for a long time” but was “waiting for the strength to do so.”
Kinsella said she received treatment at a London hospital and underwent successful surgery, and that radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatments are underway. She said she feels “generally great”, but tired – before joking that her memory is now “even worse than before!” »
Glioblastoma is an aggressive cancer that is the most common of all malignant brain tumors. According to the American Brain Tumor Association, an average of more than 12,000 cases of glioblastoma are diagnosed each year in the United States.
Kinsella has sold more than 45 million copies of his books in more than 60 countries, according to his website. Her works, which typically feature likable, flawed heroines who rise to modern challenges and try to do good, have been translated into more than 40 languages.
In an interview with The Post in 2012, Kinsella said she aimed to “write heroines we relate to,” adding that while she enjoys writing “satisfying” endings, she also tries “to let heroines in a position where the future is not possible.” It’s not all over.
The Post’s book reviews have already named his works among the “best feel-good books” of the year, or praised his “characteristic British wit,” “characteristic warmth” and “touch of true wisdom.”
Glioblastomas are grade 4 malignant tumors, according to the American Brain Tumor Association, adding that “glioblastomas are diffusely infiltrative and invade neighboring regions of the brain.” They are difficult to treat because they grow very quickly and invade nearby brain tissue, making their 100% elimination “almost impossible,” the association says, adding that the blood-brain barrier can prevent some treatments from reaching the tumor.
The American Association of Neurological Surgeons describes glioblastoma as “a devastating brain cancer that can cause death in six months or less, if left untreated,” while the American Brain Tumor Association lists rates of Five-year relative survival for adults aged 40 and older with glioblastoma. is 5.6 percent.
Symptoms vary depending on the location of the tumor, but may include headaches, blurred vision, vomiting, loss of appetite, and changes in mood and ability to think and learn.
Prominent figures who have died from glioblastoma include Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Beau Biden, President Biden’s son, and Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.).
Kinsella and thanked the “wonderful” medical staff for their care.
“To everyone suffering from cancer in any form, I send my love and best wishes, and to those who support them,” she said in her Facebook update . “It can be very lonely and scary to receive a difficult diagnosis, and the support and care of those around you means more than words can say. »
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