Trying to be ‘good patients’: The power and pitfalls of magical thinking
An edited extract of Being Patient: Close Encounters in Cancer World, by Na'ama Carlin, Louise Chappell and Siobhan O'Sullivan. Available from 1 May in all good bookshops.

Siobhan O’Sullivan was an Associate Professor of Social Policy and Research at the University of New South Wales, where she worked on inequality, welfare-to-work policy, and animal protection. Siobhan was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in August 2020 and underwent extensive treatment, including chemotherapy and surgery. She dedicated her final years to advocating for greater investment in research into ovarian cancer early detection and more effective treatment options. Siobhan died in June 2023.
An edited extract of Being Patient: Close Encounters in Cancer World, by Na'ama Carlin, Louise Chappell and Siobhan O'Sullivan. Available from 1 May in all good bookshops.