Mama's Garden of Hope: A story of how children can cope with Cancer
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The Author: A Duality of Science and Heart: Dr. Karen Singh is not your typical oncologist specialist. Known to her patients as Dr. Gentle Hands, she operates from a philosophy that medicine must be attached to the heart. While her daily life involves the rigours of radiation oncology, her creative output is fuelled by the gold she sees in every patient—recognising them not as numbers, but as mothers, fathers, and siblings.
Singh’s path to storytelling began in her own childhood. Born with a squint that required major surgery, she spent weeks with her eyes patched, forced to rely on the heard word, through radio and audiobooks. This period of darkness sparked a vivid imagination, teaching her early on that stories are a vital precursor to resilience.
The Catalyst: The Bat-Eared Observer: The inspiration for Mama’s Garden of Hope came from a poignant moment in her clinic. Dr. Singh observed a young girl sitting on the outskirts of a consultation, colouring, but with bat ears strained to catch the complex conversation between her parents and herself. Dr. Singh realised that while much is said about parents supporting children, very little focuses on the children who support their parents through a cancer journey. She wrote the book to:
• Open difficult discussions between parents and children.
• Invite children into the process so they don’t feel like they are looking through a glass window.
• Break the "C-word" taboo by naming the illness, thereby making it something that can be dealt with.
The Story: A Garden of Resilience: The book uses the metaphor of a garden to symbolise the shifting seasons of a cancer journey. It is a narrative of hope, courage, and new beginnings.
• Visual Narrative: Dr. Singh worked closely with a Japan-based illustrator to ensure the passage of time was depicted accurately, specifically through the mother’s hair, which transitions from long to short during chemotherapy, and begins to grow back as the seasons change.
• Inclusive Design: In a thoughtful nod to her medical expertise, the book features unusually large print. This isn't just for children; it’s designed for patients undergoing chemotherapy whose vision may be blurred or impaired, allowing them to read comfortably with their children.
The Creative Process: While the story was sparked by a drive home in traffic and written over a single weekend, the production took six months. Dr. Singh is a hybrid publisher, maintaining high editorial standards and creative control. She utilised her three children as her first editors, ensuring the language resonated with a younger audience without being out in the clouds or overly clinical.
Impact and Philanthropy: For Dr. Singh, this is a mission of healing, not a commercial venture.
• CHOC Partnership: All profits from the book are donated to CHOC (Children’s Cancer Foundation). Rather than a traditional launch party, she used the funds to stock the kitchen cupboards of CHOC houses.
• Interactive Healing: When performing the book at literary festivals, she uses puppets and role-play, discovering that children have deeply mature questions about screening, causes of cancer, and grief.
Looking Ahead: Addressing the Unhappy Ending: While Mama’s Garden of Hope focuses on resilience and survival, Dr. Singh acknowledges that not every journey ends happily. Prompted by children who asked, "What if Mama dies?", she has committed to writing a future book focused on grief and loss. Her goal is to treat children's feelings with the respect they deserve, providing a sensitive roadmap for the most difficult conversations a family can face.
Singh’s path to storytelling began in her own childhood. Born with a squint that required major surgery, she spent weeks with her eyes patched, forced to rely on the heard word, through radio and audiobooks. This period of darkness sparked a vivid imagination, teaching her early on that stories are a vital precursor to resilience.
The Catalyst: The Bat-Eared Observer: The inspiration for Mama’s Garden of Hope came from a poignant moment in her clinic. Dr. Singh observed a young girl sitting on the outskirts of a consultation, colouring, but with bat ears strained to catch the complex conversation between her parents and herself. Dr. Singh realised that while much is said about parents supporting children, very little focuses on the children who support their parents through a cancer journey. She wrote the book to:
• Open difficult discussions between parents and children.
• Invite children into the process so they don’t feel like they are looking through a glass window.
• Break the "C-word" taboo by naming the illness, thereby making it something that can be dealt with.
The Story: A Garden of Resilience: The book uses the metaphor of a garden to symbolise the shifting seasons of a cancer journey. It is a narrative of hope, courage, and new beginnings.
• Visual Narrative: Dr. Singh worked closely with a Japan-based illustrator to ensure the passage of time was depicted accurately, specifically through the mother’s hair, which transitions from long to short during chemotherapy, and begins to grow back as the seasons change.
• Inclusive Design: In a thoughtful nod to her medical expertise, the book features unusually large print. This isn't just for children; it’s designed for patients undergoing chemotherapy whose vision may be blurred or impaired, allowing them to read comfortably with their children.
The Creative Process: While the story was sparked by a drive home in traffic and written over a single weekend, the production took six months. Dr. Singh is a hybrid publisher, maintaining high editorial standards and creative control. She utilised her three children as her first editors, ensuring the language resonated with a younger audience without being out in the clouds or overly clinical.
Impact and Philanthropy: For Dr. Singh, this is a mission of healing, not a commercial venture.
• CHOC Partnership: All profits from the book are donated to CHOC (Children’s Cancer Foundation). Rather than a traditional launch party, she used the funds to stock the kitchen cupboards of CHOC houses.
• Interactive Healing: When performing the book at literary festivals, she uses puppets and role-play, discovering that children have deeply mature questions about screening, causes of cancer, and grief.
Looking Ahead: Addressing the Unhappy Ending: While Mama’s Garden of Hope focuses on resilience and survival, Dr. Singh acknowledges that not every journey ends happily. Prompted by children who asked, "What if Mama dies?", she has committed to writing a future book focused on grief and loss. Her goal is to treat children's feelings with the respect they deserve, providing a sensitive roadmap for the most difficult conversations a family can face.
