To Exist as I Am

Grace Spence, Green

What do you do when life changes in an instant? What does it mean to heal when the world keeps asking what’s wrong? At the age of twenty-two, Grace Spence Green’s spine was broken at the fourth thoracic vertebra. One day, she was in hospital supporting patients, the next she was fighting for her own life. As she struggled to piece together her new life as a wheelchair user, she wondered how she could she be both a doctor and a patient. ‘To Exist As I Am’ chronicles Grace’s journey from idealistic medical student to spinal-injury patient, and then to qualified doctor and vocal disability activist. Her life-affirming reflections question the value we place on independence, in favour of the rich networks of care that bind us together. She asks how we might fight for change, while joyously embracing life as we are.

Featured on Women's Prize for Non-fiction Longlist 2026.

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SKU: 9781800814486

Description

‘One of the most powerful medical memoirs of recent years’ WATERSTONES’Essential reading’ XAND VAN TULLEKEN’Astonishing, important, and truly radical … this book is completely transformative’ POLLY MORLAND’A beautiful, powerful, indelible read. Superb’ RACHEL CLARKE, GuardianIt wasn’t a car crash, but there was a collision. He fell from the third floor. At the age of twenty-two, Grace Spence Green’s spine was broken at the fourth thoracic vertebra, and her life changed tracks. One day, she was in hospital supporting patients, the next she was one.To Exist As I Am traces Grace’s journey back to the wards and back to herself. Through her extraordinary story, she asks how we might fight for change, and shift how we think about disability – while joyously embracing life exactly as we are. ‘Inspiring and life-affirming’ VIV GROSKOP’Unputdownable, awe-inspiring, necessary’ GABRIEL WESTON’Surrendering to what happens to us, to find joy and meaning in spite of it, is the bravest and most wise choice we can make and this book is an extraordinary one to inspire just that’ MIRANDA HART

Additional information

Weight 0.336 kg
Dimensions 21.6 × 13.2 × 2 cm
Author

Publisher

Imprint

Cover

Hardback

Pages

224

Language

English

Edition
Dewey

610.92 (edition:23)

Readership

College – higher education / Code: F