Sickbed to Summits by Sara Crosland

Val Penny ♦ October 11, 2020 ♦ Leave a comment

I am delighted to be part of the blog tour for Sickbed to Summits by Sara Crosland @saracrosland run by Love Book Tours @lovebooksgroup #lovebookstours You can follow her inspiring story in this new book.

The Blurb

When Sara was first diagnosed with an acoustic neuroma, like many others, she went straight to the internet. Finding seemingly endless accounts of surgery, often with permanent, unwanted side effects, she was determined to make the best of the hand she’d been dealt. Despite several serious complications, Sara has returned to living life to the full; embracing every opportunity and taking on numerous, seemingly impossible challenges.

Sickbed to Summits documents the ups and downs of life with a brain tumour diagnosis, and how through drive and determination, despite losing half her hearing and having to relearn to balance and walk unaided, Sara has made it through treatment, exceeding all expectations to fulfil her quest for challenge and adventure. She shares the enormous part that building resilience and developing a positive mindset played in her journey from sickbed to summits, and beyond. 

“…an amazing role model to those having to go through similar treatment.”

Professor Simon Lloyd 

Consultant Neurotologist and Professor of Otolaryngology

The Excerpt

Several years ago our path crossed with Sara’s quite by chance. We got to know an optimistic educator, who had her mind set on pushing her limits, and as an athlete, she demonstrated just how dedicated she was to it. 

As experts in pushing endurance limits, Sara came to us for advice and support in her efforts to do the same. Little did we know, that soon enough, she would be the one teaching us a lesson in determination. 

In early 2018, Sara was diagnosed with an Acoustic Neuroma brain  tumour. We remember the day she shared the news with us, and we were not overly surprised she took it as a challenge to overcome rather than the end of the world. 

We are soldiers. Our true worth is measured only under extreme conditions, but Sara soon made us realize that the same goes for any man or woman and that the mindset of a warrior is not restricted to us military  folk. 

The pre-op Sara was a runner, a hiker, a violinist, and she had a keen eye for photography; all of this was in jeopardy, as she went under the knife. She bravely went through with it, knowing that her family and friends will have her back during recovery and a selection of US Navy men will push her to break her new set limits and pick her up when she’s down.

Sure, there were low points. The loss of hearing in one ear, nausea, and the struggle to walk and keep her balance, all were expected of course but were hard to adjust to and deal with as they manifested. 

We have seen our fair share of hurt brothers, and the common thing to them all was their eagerness to get back in the fight. That was exactly what we saw in post-op Sara, that internal fire to get back in the fight. She rode her bike and did yoga just weeks after surgery to teach her body balance again; she took long hikes, and conquered summits to let her body know  that going back to what she was before the op was just the beginning. 

For us here, it was no surprise that Sara rose to the challenge. It was impressive to watch, and an inspiration to us all, but we were most impressed by how she transformed her own experience to a newfound purpose, a calling to help and support others that went through or go through the same challenge, to share the healing magic of optimism and determination. 

People often wonder why bad things happen to good people. After accompanying Sara through her ordeal we came to the conclusion, that in a twisted way, we are all lucky she went through this. We all received a  role model to learn from and important lessons in optimism and mind over body. 

The Author

Having been diagnosed and treated for an acoustic neuroma brain tumour in 2018, Sara has become an outspoken speaker, advocate, and charity ambassador. On a mission to empower individuals, she aims to share her knowledge of how to develop a positive mindset and build resilience, in order to give others the very best chance of overcoming adversity. Sara’s unique straight talk, combined with humour and inspiration has made her a sought after speaker for conferences and events. Living with her family in Cheshire, England, she continues to take on challenges to fundraise and raise awareness of brain tumours and hidden disabilities, alongside running her photography studio.