Hayley Gullen
@hayleygullen.com
“This Might Surprise You: A Breast Cancer Story” is available to buy now! https://linktr.ee/ThisMightSurpriseYou
Rep: Julia Silk at Greyhound Literary.
insta: HayleyGullen
www.hayleygullen.com
Rep: Julia Silk at Greyhound Literary.
insta: HayleyGullen
www.hayleygullen.com
The idea of “playing the cancer card” is a useful one but it can’t give you full diplomatic immunity.
4/4
4/4
December 1, 2025 at 2:30 PM
The idea of “playing the cancer card” is a useful one but it can’t give you full diplomatic immunity.
4/4
4/4
I want to be seen as a full human being, which means I need to ask my friends and family to keep calling me out on my bullshit.
1/4
#cansky
1/4
#cansky
December 1, 2025 at 2:29 PM
I want to be seen as a full human being, which means I need to ask my friends and family to keep calling me out on my bullshit.
1/4
#cansky
1/4
#cansky
Yes, my book is available in Canada too!
November 29, 2025 at 9:31 AM
Yes, my book is available in Canada too!
You can call me “brave” for sharing my story too, if you like. But creating this book felt as inevitable to me as the ordeals of cancer treatment. Strange, but true.
4/5
4/5
November 28, 2025 at 11:54 AM
You can call me “brave” for sharing my story too, if you like. But creating this book felt as inevitable to me as the ordeals of cancer treatment. Strange, but true.
4/5
4/5
I appreciated being called brave if I felt the person genuinely meant it and wasn’t just saying it to distance themselves. It still doesn’t feel like the right word, though. How can one be “brave” when simply reacting to a dreadful situation?
2/5
2/5
November 28, 2025 at 11:54 AM
I appreciated being called brave if I felt the person genuinely meant it and wasn’t just saying it to distance themselves. It still doesn’t feel like the right word, though. How can one be “brave” when simply reacting to a dreadful situation?
2/5
2/5
If only someone had recently published a book that really humanises the impact of bureaucratic malfunctions in the NHS… 😎
www.bloomsbury.com/uk/this-migh...
www.bloomsbury.com/uk/this-migh...
November 27, 2025 at 7:41 PM
If only someone had recently published a book that really humanises the impact of bureaucratic malfunctions in the NHS… 😎
www.bloomsbury.com/uk/this-migh...
www.bloomsbury.com/uk/this-migh...
I very much relate to this.
November 27, 2025 at 7:38 PM
I very much relate to this.
My book is available in the UK and USA from all good bookshops and online outlets, including the publisher, Bloomsbury Green Tree.
It’s one of NPR’s “Books We Love” 2025 so why not get a copy and see for yourself why it’s getting great reviews…
www.bloomsbury.com/uk/this-migh...
It’s one of NPR’s “Books We Love” 2025 so why not get a copy and see for yourself why it’s getting great reviews…
www.bloomsbury.com/uk/this-migh...
November 26, 2025 at 11:39 AM
My book is available in the UK and USA from all good bookshops and online outlets, including the publisher, Bloomsbury Green Tree.
It’s one of NPR’s “Books We Love” 2025 so why not get a copy and see for yourself why it’s getting great reviews…
www.bloomsbury.com/uk/this-migh...
It’s one of NPR’s “Books We Love” 2025 so why not get a copy and see for yourself why it’s getting great reviews…
www.bloomsbury.com/uk/this-migh...
The transformation of Hayley
I think the cartoon medium is ideal for showing how my appearance changed throughout cancer treatment.
It wasn’t just external changes, though.
I’m now a cartoonist. I wasn’t before - at least not in any serious way. I’m serious about it now.
#cansky
I think the cartoon medium is ideal for showing how my appearance changed throughout cancer treatment.
It wasn’t just external changes, though.
I’m now a cartoonist. I wasn’t before - at least not in any serious way. I’m serious about it now.
#cansky
November 26, 2025 at 11:36 AM
The transformation of Hayley
I think the cartoon medium is ideal for showing how my appearance changed throughout cancer treatment.
It wasn’t just external changes, though.
I’m now a cartoonist. I wasn’t before - at least not in any serious way. I’m serious about it now.
#cansky
I think the cartoon medium is ideal for showing how my appearance changed throughout cancer treatment.
It wasn’t just external changes, though.
I’m now a cartoonist. I wasn’t before - at least not in any serious way. I’m serious about it now.
#cansky
Genuinely did not expect this!
November 24, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Genuinely did not expect this!
More scene-setting. Here I am arriving at Cambridge.
Going from Cambridge to street fundraising was quite a contrast. It was intentional. I was sick of the dreaming spires. I wanted something real and gritty.
I definitely got that.
(My life appears to be characterised by abrupt handbrake turns)
Going from Cambridge to street fundraising was quite a contrast. It was intentional. I was sick of the dreaming spires. I wanted something real and gritty.
I definitely got that.
(My life appears to be characterised by abrupt handbrake turns)
November 24, 2025 at 12:00 PM
More scene-setting. Here I am arriving at Cambridge.
Going from Cambridge to street fundraising was quite a contrast. It was intentional. I was sick of the dreaming spires. I wanted something real and gritty.
I definitely got that.
(My life appears to be characterised by abrupt handbrake turns)
Going from Cambridge to street fundraising was quite a contrast. It was intentional. I was sick of the dreaming spires. I wanted something real and gritty.
I definitely got that.
(My life appears to be characterised by abrupt handbrake turns)
But my new book won’t be about street fundraising. That’s just a bit of scene-setting.
It’ll be about Pictish symbol stones.
This will make sense eventually
(I hope)
It’ll be about Pictish symbol stones.
This will make sense eventually
(I hope)
November 24, 2025 at 11:54 AM
But my new book won’t be about street fundraising. That’s just a bit of scene-setting.
It’ll be about Pictish symbol stones.
This will make sense eventually
(I hope)
It’ll be about Pictish symbol stones.
This will make sense eventually
(I hope)
From my WIP.
In 2006-07 I spent a year as a street fundraiser for Greenpeace. Yes, I was one of those irritating do-gooders.
I feel sorry for them when I see fundraisers these days. It was hard in 2006. It must be a lot harder now.
I learned a lot but yes, I regret the dreadlocks.
In 2006-07 I spent a year as a street fundraiser for Greenpeace. Yes, I was one of those irritating do-gooders.
I feel sorry for them when I see fundraisers these days. It was hard in 2006. It must be a lot harder now.
I learned a lot but yes, I regret the dreadlocks.
November 24, 2025 at 11:51 AM
From my WIP.
In 2006-07 I spent a year as a street fundraiser for Greenpeace. Yes, I was one of those irritating do-gooders.
I feel sorry for them when I see fundraisers these days. It was hard in 2006. It must be a lot harder now.
I learned a lot but yes, I regret the dreadlocks.
In 2006-07 I spent a year as a street fundraiser for Greenpeace. Yes, I was one of those irritating do-gooders.
I feel sorry for them when I see fundraisers these days. It was hard in 2006. It must be a lot harder now.
I learned a lot but yes, I regret the dreadlocks.
One of the greatest ironies, for me, of cancer treatment, is that I’ve always been a goody two shoes when it comes to drug use.
Yet here I was, mainlining hardcore drugs into my veins in order to save my life.
It wasn’t much fun. But I’m glad I did it.
With apologies to @irvinewelsh.bsky.social
Yet here I was, mainlining hardcore drugs into my veins in order to save my life.
It wasn’t much fun. But I’m glad I did it.
With apologies to @irvinewelsh.bsky.social
November 24, 2025 at 10:53 AM
One of the greatest ironies, for me, of cancer treatment, is that I’ve always been a goody two shoes when it comes to drug use.
Yet here I was, mainlining hardcore drugs into my veins in order to save my life.
It wasn’t much fun. But I’m glad I did it.
With apologies to @irvinewelsh.bsky.social
Yet here I was, mainlining hardcore drugs into my veins in order to save my life.
It wasn’t much fun. But I’m glad I did it.
With apologies to @irvinewelsh.bsky.social
Even though I’m no longer in active breast cancer treatment, my body continues to be extremely complicated and I have lots of tedious health admin.
It must be because I’m special, right? Right?
#cansky
1/3
It must be because I’m special, right? Right?
#cansky
1/3
November 22, 2025 at 12:22 PM
Even though I’m no longer in active breast cancer treatment, my body continues to be extremely complicated and I have lots of tedious health admin.
It must be because I’m special, right? Right?
#cansky
1/3
It must be because I’m special, right? Right?
#cansky
1/3
2024. It was a major step forward in my recovery when I realised my Christmas cards didn’t *have* to be cancer themed.
November 20, 2025 at 9:33 AM
2024. It was a major step forward in my recovery when I realised my Christmas cards didn’t *have* to be cancer themed.
2023. Yes this one was insane but (I like to think) stylish.
November 20, 2025 at 9:32 AM
2023. Yes this one was insane but (I like to think) stylish.
A brief thread about my Christmas card designs, as I’ve begun work on this year’s.
This was 2022. My year in cancer. This card features in the book, and was a step forward in terms of developing the concept for the book itself.
This was 2022. My year in cancer. This card features in the book, and was a step forward in terms of developing the concept for the book itself.
November 20, 2025 at 9:31 AM
A brief thread about my Christmas card designs, as I’ve begun work on this year’s.
This was 2022. My year in cancer. This card features in the book, and was a step forward in terms of developing the concept for the book itself.
This was 2022. My year in cancer. This card features in the book, and was a step forward in terms of developing the concept for the book itself.
Buy my book here!
linktr.ee/ThisMightSur...
And thanks again to @iandunt.bsky.social for the endorsement!
linktr.ee/ThisMightSur...
And thanks again to @iandunt.bsky.social for the endorsement!
November 19, 2025 at 12:03 PM
Buy my book here!
linktr.ee/ThisMightSur...
And thanks again to @iandunt.bsky.social for the endorsement!
linktr.ee/ThisMightSur...
And thanks again to @iandunt.bsky.social for the endorsement!