11 Mar 2021
The Power of Hope
When I first heard that Kate Garraway was writing a book about the emotional journey her whole family has been on since last March, as a result of her husband – Derek Draper being struck down with Covid-19, I pondered whether to cover it in the blog, wondering whether we were all just a bit fatigued by the topic. However, as you can see from the book title – The Power of Hope, I thought it was worth writing about, as the pandemic has touched all of us to varying degrees and we could all do with a bit of hope right now…
March 2020
For those of you that don’t know the situation, Derek contracted Covid-19 early on, in March 2020. He was hospitalised and then placed in a medically-induced coma. Kate was told several times, that he wouldn’t survive. But against all odds, he has in fact lived and become the UK’s longest-fighting Covid-19 patient. In fact, he no longer has Coronavirus, but is now struggling with a legacy of damage to his body and organs that the virus has left behind.
A Personal Journey
There is no doubt that the book written by Kate, is one about a deeply personal journey for herself and that of her children, and how you find the strength to cope and go on under extraordinary circumstances. Her experiences will resonate with many people, not just in relation to the pandemic, but to anyone going through a long-term illness, or coping with some sort of adversity in their lives.
Kate has had to cope with an uncertain outlook on their family’s future. She’s had to go back to work, and earn a living to support her family. All the while riding a wave of emotions, taking joy in small things and coping when things seem at their bleakest. At the same time as navigating the emotions of her family, that differ at any given time.
Resilience
From the beginning Kate has found strength in community, her family, friends, colleagues at work, social media followers and the general public who have followed her story and helped her through the darkest of hours. In the end I think she decided to write the book, to share her experiences with others, so that it might in turn provide some comfort for those going through hard and difficult times. She shares the lessons she has learnt in finding resilience, and a way forward to re-build her life.
Hope
We don’t yet know what the outcome will be for Derek, but Kate’s book looks to show grace, courage, warmth and above all positivity. Which is sure to make The Power of Hope (out on 13th April 21) an inspiring read.
Book Image Credit: PENGUIN / TRANSWORLD
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