A BOOK written by inspirational cancer ambassador Nikki Hastings is being published to raise funds for Lewis Manning Hospice.

The brave mother of two and Daily Echo blogger passed away in June last year, aged 40, after battling the disease for six years. Nikki was told she would have just months to live after being diagnosed with secondary breast cancer in 2008. But a trial drug, which destroyed more than two-thirds of the cancer in her body, bought her precious time to spend with her daughters, Leah and Megan, and her husband Kevin.

Nikki kept a journal of her experience and blogged on the Daily Echo website in the hope of encouraging and supporting other cancer patients.

Now a book about her incredible journey, called A Life Turned Upside Down, has been published, with all profits going to Poole’s Lewis-Manning Hospice.

Publisher Jenny Knowles, of Little Knoll Press, said: “Nikki always kept a journal when she was younger and when she was diagnosed she found the journal was something she turned to.

“She had been working for the adoption service. She had been piloting the life story work and felt she should be leaving her own story for her own children.”

The book includes extracts of Nikki’s journal as well as new material written by the Bournemouth mum. It also includes two chapters from Nikki’s mother Ann and the foreword is written by actress and comedienne Debra Stephenson.

The launch is being held at Lewis-Manning Hospice on World Cancer Day, February 4.

Last year, Nikki paid tribute to the charity for helping to lift her out of a depression and she was filmed for BBC’s The One Show, which featured the day hospice’s work to create legacies for patients.

Anyone who would like to attend the launch is asked to contact Jenny Knowles on 02380 842190 or email jenny@littleknollpress.co.uk The book, which costs £7.99, is available to buy at littleknollbookshop.co.uk