Reluctant Rebels: My Family’s Fight for Survival is an inspiring story about the author’s battle with cancer and the significant impacts of that experience on her family. After a diagnosis of leukaemia at the age of eight, author Samantha Wilson went through a terrible journey of pain and suffering into her teenage years. Told that their child had weeks to live, her parents, Bernard and Kathleen didn’t give up. Turning to herbal medicine, they sought help from a well-known local herbalist, Mr Abbott and gradually, Samantha recovered.
The book tells the story of how Samantha and her family dealt with the shock of the diagnosis and then, through relentless caring and support, helped her to survive. Step by step, Samantha began to live a normal life. Nonetheless, as well as a bout of meningitis, Samantha suffered bullying at the hands of both the children in her community and fierce objections from the authorities who tried to block her parents’ efforts to care for her outside the official system.
After surviving a court case and media scrutiny, somehow, Samantha grew into adulthood and made a life for herself. But there were scars which remained affecting her own wellbeing, her parents’ marriage and her older brother who had been so supportive in helping her to stay alive. Years later, Samantha was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis and experienced a period of time suffering with mental health issues. She also had to help her family through difficult times and traumatic experiences. Reluctant Rebels: My Family’s Fight for Survival is a story that will give readers hope. At the time of her leukaemia diagnosis, most children suffering with the condition did not survive. With her family’s support and the help of complementary medicine, Samantha pulled through, an example of alternative therapy and what it can achieve. She faced all of these challenges with a firm commitment to stay positive and do what had to be done. Samantha Wilson went on to achieve an BSc in Complementary Medicine at Salford University and a PGDE at the University of Bolton. She is the Joint Owner/Managing Director at the White Opal Beauty and Holistic Training Academy. She lives in Bury, Greater Manchester, with her husband Brian and in her spare time, loves to see her son Ryan and his family and to go for long walks with her dog, Rio. Samantha hopes that Reluctant Rebels: My Family’s Fight for Survival will raise awareness of complementary medicine and help the sufferers of leukaemia and their families to never give up hope.