Cancer Survivor Pens Memoir on Failure and Fighting Back

A businesswoman who survived cancer and rebuilt her life after losing everything has written a book she hopes will help others find strength in their darkest moments.

Nickie Gott OBE, who lives near Chester-le-Street in County Durham, released "Shake Your Own Pompoms" to share her journey through academic setbacks, cancer diagnosis, and business failure. The memoir chronicles not just her struggles but her remarkable comeback that eventually earned her royal recognition and an OBE.

"We talk a lot about success, but not enough about what happens when things go wrong," Gott said. "I wanted to write a book that's honest about failure, fear, and starting over."

After facing cancer, business collapse, and personal loss, Gott found herself needing to reclaim her own story. Writing became her path to healing and rediscovering her strength.

"I also wrote this book to reclaim my story," she explained. "After facing cancer, business failure, and personal loss, I needed to remind myself and others that we are never truly defeated unless we stop trying."

The writing process itself became therapeutic. Gott spent heartfelt, tear-stained hours pouring her experiences onto the page, transforming pain into purpose.

Why This Inspires

Gott's decision to share her failures alongside her triumphs breaks an important silence. Too often we see only the highlight reel of successful people's lives, never the setbacks that shaped them.

Her memoir offers something rare: permission to fail and guidance on getting back up. With over twenty years of experience championing women in business, Gott brings both hard-won wisdom and genuine vulnerability to every page.

The book encourages readers to find humor even in difficulty and become their own biggest cheerleaders. It's a practical guide wrapped in a personal story, showing that hope and second chances remain within reach no matter how far you've fallen.

"If my story helps even one person believe they can get back up after a fall, then it's been worth every hour I spent writing it," Gott said.

"Shake Your Own Pompoms" releases May 28 through Troubador Publishing and proves that our setbacks don't define us—our comebacks do.