Mongrels versus Pedigrees

There is no such thing as endings—only new beginnings. Life is all about perspective: the positive, the negative and how we respond to the challenges that life throws at us. Being diagnosed with cancer can really change your perspective on things! Cancer is a test of your patience, your strength, your courage and your faith.

This book is one woman’s reflections on her own diagnosis and her own personal outlook on her fight against cancer. From diagnosis, through to treatment with chemotherapy and targeted therapies, to the possibility of surgery, this book is an honest account of the experiences of an individual determined to fight and survive, and the positive changes that her diagnosis brought.

What could have been the beginning of the end, was actually the start of a new beginning.

Rachel Birkbeck had degrees from both Sunderland and Leeds Metropolitan Universities in historical studies and higher education, respectively. She taught at Newcastle College and The Manchester College, and at HMP Acklington and HMP Castington (now HMP Northumberland) before pursuing her dream career in dog handling. Rachel worked as a dog psychologist and lived at home with her wife, two dogs, four cats, and a goldfish before sadly passing away in October 2021.