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My Angel Tree © Kirsty Bilski 2007

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Reviews....

Kirsty Bilski's beautiful, poignant and searingly honest account of her 11-year-old daughter Jessica Leigh-Firbank's death from a rare form of liver cancer moved me to tears. But although almost unbearably sad, this is also one of the most uplifting, heart-warming and compelling books I have read in a long time.

Through these pages, surely written in tears and yet also in the warmth of remembered joys and blessings, Kirsty Bilski extends a hand so that we can share, to some small extent, the journey she travelled with Jess. This is a moving tribute to a mother's love for her child and a family's love for each other, and also to those extraordinary people - doctors, nurses, counsellors, hospice staff - who help us along that final journey.

Life is precious and so is our manner of dying; Kirsty Bilski's courageous and remarkable book, with its ultimate message of healing, acceptance and peace, will give strength and comfort to many people.

Susie Weldon, Woman's Editor, Western Daily Press

Extremely moving, a wonderful book written from the heart expressing courage and understanding – a tribute to Jess and her family.

Bob Champion MBE, Ex-Jockey

My Angel Tree is a book written from the heart, a mother's account of her young daughter's battle against cancer. This moving story is searchingly honest and brave, painstaking in the recording of every detail and emotion. And it reveals how the journey taken together along a road filled with pain, fear, love and incredible courage, brings mother and daughter a powerful bond of friendship. Despite the sadness, the strength of a family united - along with love, faith and hope - combine to help make sense of an overwhelming experience and produce an uplifting and positive feeling that stays with the reader.'

Elayne DeLaurian ~ Journalist

I found this story of a family's struggle to understand and find strength in dealing with a beloved daughter's terminal illness, deeply moving. It is written from the heart and at times, it was heartbreaking to read, however, the love, support and courage shown by Jess and her family is also uplifting. You follow Jess's torment in her fight for life, and you will her to win, as she submits to painful and stressful treatment that could restore her to health. Kirsty has written her story with so much love, and it is a wonderful tribute to her daughter. I wish I had known Jess.

Jill Prior ~ Author of 'One Moment In Time

There are defining moments in the lives of every writer that etch themselves indelibly into the consciousness. Some of these moments are happy – such as having your first book published, or even being asked to write the foreword for one written by a colleague. Others are poignant, such as interviewing a war hero who has lived through indescribable events, or commenting on a world-shaking episode that transcends mere words. At times even seasoned writers struggle to find the right thing to say.

My Angel Tree is a book written from the heart. It will move you to tears, as it did me. Quite simply it is the true story of a young girl with an incurable illness, but even this is a description which only scratches the surface, for it is much, much more. Kirsty Bilski has written a book which highlights the true meaning of courage; the courage of a young child who knows that her demise is imminent, and the courage of family members who never gave up hope of seeing a miracle happen. It was not to be, but the death of someone of such tender years does nothing to detract from the inspiration that we can draw from a work such as this.

The skeleton framework of My Angel Tree is a long, exhausting round of hospital visits, CT scans, chemotherapy and surgery, but the substance of it is a story of raw courage in the face of truly terrible adversity. My Angel Tree highlights the best and most noble aspects of the human spirit. It creates a benchmark that every decent human being would like to reach when faced with the death of a loved one, and the sheer ordinariness of those at the centre of the story gives each and every one of us hope that we, too, can be an inspiration to others when the need arises.

Kirsty Bilski has penned a truly beautiful volume about a time of great sadness and personal tragedy. That she has been able to do this so wonderfully is a tribute to her skill with the pen, but it also speaks volumes about her incredible fortitude. Her daughter’s character, it seems, was no less endowed, and the presence of both these souls in the world lets us see in our darkest moments that we should never, ever give up hope.

If your faith in human nature is becoming jaded, then you should read this incredible book. Few personal stories have the power to change lives, but this one has. As I began to read it I had just been informed minutes earlier that a close relative is terminally ill with leukaemia and has very little time left. I drew enormous strength and comfort from My Angel Tree, so maybe miracles do happen after all.

Mike Hallowell ~ The Shields Gazette

Kirsty Bilski has a rare talent: her style of writing is so genuinely amicable, so down-to-earth, and so disarmingly honest, that she inevitably draws you directly into her narrative; as a result, you don’t feel like a casual visitor to this story, peering into the drama of another family’s life from some distant perspective outside – rather, you are welcomed in from the very first page, as if you were a close, trusted, and intimate friend. It is this unusual and wonderful phenomenon, perhaps, that makes the potent emotion of the narrative that much more powerful, and – be warned! – this book is an intense reading experience (one that will bring more than just a quiver to even the stiffest upper lip). However, although the book deserves much praise for its superb narrative style and the impact of its impressive emotional experience, its greatest strength lies in the tale that it tells: a story of strength and love in the face of imminent tragedy, told with a very frank and brave honesty, that every mother, every father, every sister and every brother should read and experience. For those that have, themselves, survived the loss of a dearly loved child to an incurable illness, this experience will be kindred, extraordinarily supportive and cathartic; alternatively, for those who have been fortunate enough to never know such loss, this is essential reading that will provide invaluable education and a privileged degree of insight: into the very real – if rarely explored – corridor of family life that leads beyond that terrible and threatening door.

Daniel Hohnstein

‘My Angel Tree’ shows that Kirsty has a very readable writing style and an excellent way with the written word – her book quickly reaches out to the reader. Kirsty relates events with a great recollection for detail but also writes movingly of the emotions and feelings surrounding each step in her family’s journey alongside Jess.
I am happy to recommend this book to you and we are thrilled that Children’s Hospice South West will benefit from the publication, it seems a fitting tribute to a courageous young woman and the love and devotion of her family.

Eddie Farwell, Children's Hospice South West (Chief Executive)

An excellent read for palliative care patients and carers of all ages.

David Hart, London Voice

As I read the introduction to this wonderful book the tears began to fall..I remained glued in my armchair and read the book from cover to cover.Kirsty Bilski writes so beautifully and honestly about her young daughter's devastating illness.She leads the reader through the whole journey; from the excitement and anticipation of her marriage to Jerzy at which Jess was a beautiful bridesmaid,then to be totally felled by the knowledge that her little girl had become so desperately ill,and that despite every effort made by the medical experts,she was going to lose her fight for life.As a mum i can only begin to imagine the anguish that kirsty went through while at the same time remaining strong for her children...yet as we follow their journey, the love and incredible faith they have has helped them through the darkest of times imaginable, and now guides them into a new chapter in their lives.This is a superb book,and even though guaranteed to move the reader to tears is also incredibly heartwarming.I am an experienced nurse and i would highly recommend this book to anybody in the medical and caring professions..any insight gained from within it's pages will be invaluable to you.

Jane Richards